Win or bust for Romania against Belarus
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
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Romania must beat a Belarus side who had their own qualifying dreams ended by defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina last time out if they are to keep their play-off hopes alive.
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Romania are battling to keep their hopes of a UEFA EURO 2012 place alive as they meet Belarus in their penultimate Group D qualifier in Bucharest.
• The sides ranked third and fourth in Group D are four points adrift of second-placed Bosnia and Herzegovina with leaders France a further point in front. This is Belarus's final fixture but Romania will visit Albania on 11 October, when the top two are in action against each other.
• These nations' first Group D meeting ended in a 0-0 draw in Minsk on 7 September last year. Both teams took time to warm up at Dinamo Stadion and not even a late flurry of chances could produce a goal.
• Romania's record in three games against Belarus reads W2 D1 L0 (W1 D0 L0 at home).
• Dinamo Stadium in Minsk was also the venue for the encounter between the two sides on 8 September 2007, when Adrian Mutu helped secure the UEFA EURO 2008 qualifying points with two goals in a 3-1 success for Romania.
• Mutu had previously been on target in the teams' first meeting in Bucharest on 7 October 2006 as Romania triumphed by the same scoreline.
