EM After 1:1 against Slovakia
“A disgrace” – Romania’s coach takes on the critics
Status: 22:11 | Reading time: 2 minutes
In rage after the triumph: Edward Iordanescu spoke out after the suspicion against his team
Source: dpa/Torsten Silz
Many had expected a draw between Romania and Slovakia. In the end, both teams managed to advance. After the final whistle, however, the Romanian coach verbally criticized the critics, even though the expected result had actually come about.
When the great celebrations had passed and the joy of the surprising group victory had subsided, Romania’s coach used the big stage to respond. After the group final of the European Football Championship against Slovakia, he took issue with critics and vehemently denied any speculation of cheating that had been made beforehand.
“Some people should apologize to us,” said Edward Iordanescu: “It is clear that both teams gave their all. To talk like that before the game and to make such accusations against the teams and the players is a disgrace,” said the successful coach on Wednesday evening in Frankfurt after the 1:1 draw.
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Even before kick-off, it was clear that a draw would take both teams into the round of 16. That was the result in the end. The match was up and down, however, and both teams had chances. It was only in the final phase that efforts to score a winning goal waned a little. Even when a storm swept through the stadium in the middle of the second half, the teams did not use the heavy rain, lightning and thunder as an excuse to be passive. Instead, both sides continued to have numerous scoring opportunities.
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“We showed that we have character. Romania always plays with character. If we had lost, we would have gone home with dignity,” said Iordanescu. Because the favorites Belgium and Ukraine played 0-0 in the parallel match, Romania even finished Group E as the surprising first place.
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Francesco Calzona, head coach of Slovakia, was also annoyed by the many doomsayers before the game and stressed at the press conference after the match: “Nobody can say that my team didn’t give it their all for 90 minutes. Romania wanted to win the game just as much as we did, that was quite clear.”
