Romania raring to go

Victor Piturca had a full-strength first XI as he named his squad for Romania's opening UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifiers against Bulgaria, in Constanta on 2 September, and Albania, in Tirana on 6 September.

Munteanu remains
The coach is likely to stick with the core of players that came close to qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, with Bogdan Lobont, Cosmin Contra, Cristian Chivu, Razvan Rat and Adrian Mutu featuring heavily. There are also places for 38-year-old midfielder Dorinel Munteanu, now player-coach of league leaders CFR Ecomax Cluj-Napoca, and 33-year-old forward Ioan Viorel Ganea, who was last called up in 2004. Ganea scored all four goals in FC Dinamo 1948 Bucuresti's 4-0 win at FC Universitatea Craiova on Sunday and replaces injured AFC Rapid Bucuresti striker Mugurel Buga.

Romania squad
Goalkeepers: Bogdan Lobont (ACF Fiorentina), Danut Coman (AFC Rapid Bucuresti).

Defenders: Cosmin Contra (Getafe CF), Valentin Badoi (AFC Rapid Bucuresti), Gabriel Tamas (RC Celta de Vigo), Sorin Ghionea (FC Steaua Bucuresti), Cristian Chivu (AS Roma), Vasile Maftei (AFC Rapid Bucuresti), Razvan Rat (FC Shakhtar Donetsk), Petre Marin (FC Steaua Bucuresti).

Midfielders: Florentin Petre (PFC CSKA Sofia), Banel Nicolita (FC Steaua Bucuresti), Paul Codrea (US Città di Palermo), Razvan Cocis (FC Sheriff), Sorin Paraschiv (FC Steaua Bucuresti), Dorinel Munteanu (CFR Ecomax Cluj-Napoca), Nicolae Dica (FC Steaua Bucuresti), Laurentiu Rosu (RC Recreativo de Huelva).

Forwards: Adrian Mutu (ACF Fiorentina), Ciprian Marica (FC Shakhtar Donetsk), Daniel Niculae (AJ Auxerre), Ioan Viorel Ganea (FC Dinamo 1948 Bucuresti).