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Petrescu wrestles Romania to win
At last minute, draw slips through England's legs
Posted: Monday June 22, 1998 10:28 PM
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"This is the greatest moment of my life," Petrescu said (AP) |
TOULOUSE, France (AP) --
Dan Petrescu won the wrestling match, and Romania won the
game.
Charging into the goal area to chase down Constantin Galca's pass in
the 90th minute, the Romanian defender put his right arm across the neck of
Graeme Le Saux -- Petrescu's teammate on the English club Chelsea. Then
Petrescu slid his left foot around the English defender to poke the ball
between the legs of goalkeeper David Seaman.
The goal won the game 2-1 and put Romania into the World Cup's second
round.
"This is the greatest moment of my life," Petrescu said. "I scored a
winning goal in the last World Cup, but compared to this feeling it meant
nothing.
"I couldn't have asked more than to score a goal in the last minute
against the country where I make my living. It was a truly wonderful
feeling. I couldn't sleep last night but even if I could have, scoring a
goal like that would have been beyond my wildest dreams."
The victory put Romania in first place in Group G and left England needing
a win or a draw in its final first-round game against Colombia on
Friday. The result also eliminates last-place Tunisia.
"Dan was trying to get outside me, but I couldn't get my foot in in
case I gave away a penalty," Le Saux said. "Then when I tried to stop him
as he shot his elbow hit me in the face. I couldn't do anything about
it."
Eighteen-year-old Michael Owen, who became the youngest player ever to
score for England in a World Cup warmup against Morocco,
appeared to save his team with an 83rd-minute goal. Owen, who entered the
game in the second half, also hit the left post from 30 yards in injury
time.
"I'd rather draw 1-1 and not score," Owen said. "Not winning the math
was a bitter disappointment."
Gheorghe Hagi, 33 years old and playing his 112th international, set
up England-based forward Viorel Moldovan for the goal that gave Romania the
lead two minutes after halftime. Hagi chipped from the right to the
Coventry striker, who was left unmarked by Tony Adams to chest the ball
down and slot it past Seaman from six yards.
"The two goals we gave away were schoolboy stuff," England coach Glenn
Hoddle said. "The defending was poor. If you give away stupid goals like
that at this level you are going to get punished. ... Now we know what we
have got to do against Colombia."
Owen was the bright spot for England, a bundle of energy who tied the
game by sliding to the turf to net a right-footed shot after Paul Scholes
had knocked down Alan Shearer's cross from the right.
"I told him to go out and enjoy himself and see if he could get that
goal," Hoddle said. "And it went his way."
The game was a potential flashpoint for fan violence following the
riots that surrounded England's game last week against Tunisia.
As kickoff time approached, English fans got drunk and rowdy, pounding
on the sides of passing trucks and leaping onto cars to wave flags. A
British journalist was attacked by five hooligans and was hospitalized with
a broken collarbone.
After the game, diehard fans with energy to burn and no place to go
gathered around a shutdown bar behind the Place du Capitole. Riot police
watched in tense silence, but there were no incidents reported.
Lineups
England: David Seaman; Tony Adams, Sol Campbell, Graeme le Saux,
Gary Neville; Darren Anderton, David Batty, Paul Ince (David Beckham,
33rd), Paul Scholes; Alan Shearer, Teddy Sheringham (Michael Owen,
73rd).
Romania: Bogdan Stelea; Dan Petrescu, Gheorghe Popescu, Liviu
Ciobotariu, Constantin Galca; Dorinel Munteanu, Gheorghe Hagi (Ovidiu
Stanga, 73rd; Lucien Marinescu, 84th), Gabriel Popescu, Iulian Filipescu;
Viorel Moldovan (Marius Lacatus, 87th) , Adrian Ilie.
Referee: Marc Batta, France.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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