still not enough

After jumping to a 2-0 lead with less-than twenty minutes left on the clock, Romania let Les Bleus fight back to a draw in Constanţa. Pouncing upon defensive lapses of the French, Victor Piţurcă’s squad struck first with Florentin Petre strike only six minutes into the match, followed-up by Dorin Goian of Steaua Bucureşti header eleven minutes later. Unfortunately Romania was unable to were unable to cull France’s advancing efforts and methodically they crept back into the defensive match. Eight minutes before the break Franck Ribéry brought the match to within one and after a great deal of tight midfield play, Bordeaux’s Yoann Gourcuff leveled it with twenty-one minutes remaining.

The tough draw leaves Romania with only four points in three matches, two behind Lithuania in second. There will be many tough decisions around the Tricolorii, including speculation of Victor Piţurcă’s future. This result, in which the club failed to kill off a wounded opponent and utilized a highly defensive approach that had them on their back-heels for the majority of the match will prove to be costly points lost. As the club goes forward in a tenuous position of qualifying for the World Cup, changes are in the offing before they meet Serbia next March.