View from the top of Group G

It’s nice being on top for once huh? Year after year, competition after competition, we have struggled to make the top 2. To no avail. No it’s not because we suck, it’s not because we’re inconsistent either. Simply put, we’re a very unlucky team. I bet just by reading the previous sentence you immediately thought of the Denmark game in 2003. Fear not, for it is what I wanted you to remember, I’m a magician you see. No, but seriously sometimes we need a little luck on our side and until 2007, it just wouldn’t come. Let’s look back on the events that made 2007 a year to remember.

2007 was a great year for Romanian soccer, Adrian Mutu’s career was revived after signing with Fiorentina, Bogdan Lobont was back to keeping clean sheets (even if it was for Dinamo Bucharest), Ciprian Marica made the jump to a bigger club, and even Dorinel Munteanu figured he could give this soccer thing another go. Yes it was good, no, it was great even. However, it’s always great at first until the qualifiers come to Romania.

I remember walking down the streets of Bucharest one day and there in front of my eyes was a poster of Chivu holding a Coke bottle with a slogan on the bottom saying “If not now, then when?”. It was exactly what every single Romanian was thinking. It was what coach “Pitzi” (Victor Piturca) was thinking too. Now’s his chance to become a household name once again.

PASS, SHOT, GOAL! The qualifiers were upon us. After a shaky start (2-2 with Bulgaria) and a routine win (2-0 with Albania) Romania seemed to be a determined team. After the 3-1 with Belarus, the public began believing once again, after a long long drought of fandom. A tie (0-0) with Holland followed and it seemed as if a whole country’s fire within was re-lit. Goals, saves, dribbles..yes the national team had it all. 3 wins with Luxembourg (3-0) and Slovenia (H:2-0, A:2-1) brought us to the point where we could assure qualification after just 1 more match. The match, Romania – Holland.

Regarded as the match of the Summer, it was Romania’s chance to qualify 2 games early and move up to the top of the group. A sold out stadium welcomed the Dutch team to Constanta, where Piturca’s men had been training nonstop for the past week. It was now or never. A massive flag was unraveled over the fans, the chants were deafening, yes, the stage was set.

After finishing the first half 0-0 (due to Lobont’s miracle saves), it wasn’t looking good. Romania needed a win, not a tie. The moment came in the 71st minute. Chivu’s freekick is flicked on by Codrea, Sketelenburg punches the ball out, right onto Goian’s path. The Steaua Bucharest defensemen would not dissapoint. The lightest of touches sends the ball in. Instantly, the stadium erupts, this was the moment they’ve been waiting for. Game finishes 1-0, Romania wins a couple days later in Luxembourg, and qualifies for the first time in 7 years to a final tournament.

So that’s about it, that’s how we got here. The rest is up to us, will we win in Sofia on the 17th? Of course we will. Romania is a growing team, with growing players, the potential is unmeasurable.