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English meet their match in Romania
Posted: Monday June 22, 1998 08:11 PM
PARIS (CNN/SI) -- That'll teach England!
Give Viorel Moldovan and Dan Petrescu jobs in your country, give them that
added touch of Premiership class and then watch them beat you.
Moldovan plays for Coventry City in England's top flight, Petrescu
lines up for London club Chelsea. Both scored for Romania as they
beat England 2-1 in Toulouse on Monday and secured a place in the last 16
of the World Cup finals.
The English are left to battle it out with Colombia in
their final group game to most likely determine runners-up spot and a
probable confrontation with in-form Argentina in
the second round.
To make matters worse for England, Petrescu held off a rather tame
challenge from Chelsea teammate Graeme Le Saux before scoring. Le Saux was
more concerned about Petrescu's arm in his face than clearing the ball, and
a weak last-minute goal resulted. Le Saux will have repeated nightmares
about the challenge that never was.
Romania, quarterfinalists four years ago, are far from over the
hill, as has been suggested by some, and will be a difficult proposition
for anyone in the last 16. They are well organised, technically sound and
have a truly world class striker in Adrian Ilie.
But so does England....and I'm not talking the always-dangerous
Alan Shearer.
No, teenager Michael Owen's the player in question. He came on for
the last 20 minutes or so and scored a goal, hit the post in the dying
seconds and generally looked a handful. He must start the Colombian game.
The Liverpool youngster could be a superstar of this World Cup if
England progress.
Good also to see David Beckham come on in the first half and shine.
Back injury aside, he's got the midfield gifts which could yet help England
go a long way in this competition.
In a curious way, coach Glenn Hoddle might just have stumbled
across his best team by using those two exciting youngsters off the bench.
Romania marches on. After Colombia's ragged 1-nil win over luckless
Tunisia, I
fully expect England will join them.
Unless Croatia put a
spoke in the works, we're then set for an Anglo-Argentine clash. Now that's
something look forward to.
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