Contra back in the fold
Wednesday, February 4, 2004
Article summary
Cosmin Contra is back after injury and in Romania's squad to face Georgia in Cyprus this month.
Article body
Romania have named 14 foreign-based players in a 34-man squad for the match against Georgia in Larnaca on 18 February, which forms part of this month's eight-team international tournament in Cyprus.
One match only
For the rest of the tournament, coach Anghel Iordanescu will be without the 14 foreign-based players named, who will return to their clubs after the Georgia match, and will rely instead on the 20 Romanian league players in the party.
Contra returns
George Curca, Dorin Mihut and Tiberiu Moldovan are all called into the national squad for the first time while Cosmin Contra returns after several months of injury-enforced absence.
World Cup campaign
Iordanescu has left out Ianis Zicu, Adrian Ilie, Paul Codrea, Claudiu Raducanu and Iulian Filipescu to allow them more time to settle into their new clubs. Romania begin their 2006 FIFA World Cup campaign with a Group 1 fixture against Finland on 18 August.
Romania squad
Stelea, Dolha, G Curca, Mihut, Iencsi, Contra, Chivu, Radoi, Rada, Ghionea, I Stancu, Rat, Stoican, Tamas, Pancu, F Dumitru, Plesan, O Petre, Soava, N Dica, Tararache, D Munteanu, F Petre, F Cernat, A Cristea, G Coman, D Nicolae, Mutu, Marica, Danciulescu, T Moldovan, Mitea, I Ganea, F Bratu.
