Fightback earns Romania draw
Wednesday, November 20, 2002
Article summary
Romania's Under-21 side battled back to earn a creditable 2-2 friendly draw against a promising Swiss side.
Article body
Romania's Under-21 side battled back to earn a creditable 2-2 friendly draw against a promising Swiss side in Mogosoaia tonight.
Muff double
The Swiss, featuring many of the players who helped them reach the last eight of the 2002-2004 UEFA European Under-21 Championship finals, made the better start. The visitors dominated the first two-thirds of the match, but could not find the net until Andre Muff's quick-fire double on 57 and 62 minutes.
Substitutes make difference
Romania coach Nicolae Manea rescued the game by sending on two new strikers FC Steaua Bucuresti's Daniel Oprita and AFC Rapid Bucuresti's Daniel Niculae after the second Swiss goal. They repaid his faith by helping Romania push forward with renewed confidence and it paid off in the 65th minute when Stefan Grigorie equalised before Niculae delighted the 1,000 home fans by securing the draw three minutes from the end.
Trojan goal
In another U21 friendly today, the Czech Republic and Sweden played out a 1-1 draw in front of 2,000 people in Plzen. The home side took an early lead through Filip Trojan after three minutes but the Swedes managed to restore parity just before full time through Jon Lundblad.
