Romania cruise past Luxembourg

Romania maintained their push for a place at UEFA EURO 2008™ with a comfortable victory against bottom team Luxembourg in Group G.

Routine win
Adrian Mutu gave the hosts a first-half lead and goals after the break from Cosmin Contra and Ciprian Marica completed a routine success. The win rounded off a good few days for the Romanians after their goalless draw in the Netherlands, while Luxembourg remain without a point in the section.

Marvellous Mutu
ACF Fiorentina forward Mutu was a constant thorn in Luxembourg's side. He almost caught goalkeeper Jonathan Joubert off guard after seven minutes with a ten-metre strike, while his subsequent corner was headed narrowly past the post by Dorin Goian. Mutu drilled another shot centimetres wide of the left post, before Mirel Radoi's speculative effort from distance grazed the crossbar. It seemed only a matter of time before Romania broke the deadlock and their breakthrough came after 26 minutes when Ianis Zicu's precise cross was fired into the bottom corner by Mutu.

Points secured
Mutu almost added his second ten minutes later when he blazed over following another Zicu delivery, before the midfielder himself tried to get in on the act with a 20-metre volley that was cleared off the line by defender Eric Hoffmann. Romania finally doubled their advantage on 56 minutes with Contra slotting home neatly from close range. The hosts were rampant now and Joubert did well to keep out Mutu's long-distance attempt while Marica should have done better with a header that he directed wide with the goal at his mercy. Zicu had another effort blocked on the line, before substitute Marica wrapped up the points at the death with a powerful header from Goian's centre.