| A superbly chipped goal by Adrian Ilie decided the outcome of an entertaining
encounter as Romania won their Group G meeting with Colombia 1-0 in the
Stade De Gerland, Lyon. The match brought together two of the most
experienced and talented campaigners in world football as the 37-year-old
Carlos Valderrama led his South American side against 33-year-old Gheorghe
Hagi's Eastern European outfit. Between the pair of them the two captains have
accumulated 223 caps for their countries and France 98 is likely to mark their
farewell appearances in the World Cup finals. The Romanians started the match
by far the stronger of two techically good sides with Ilie proving a handful
whenever he had the ball, showing the form that brought him 12 goals in 18 games
for Valencia since his move from Galatasaray last season. When Valderrama had
the ball the Colombians always looked capable of unlocking the experienced
Romanian defence, but Filipescu superbly dealt with the threat of Asprilla and
Freddy Rincon was restricted to just one long-range effort in the first half. The
South American's were grateful to their 'keeper Farid Mondragon for keeping
them in the game with a magnificent double strike from Ilie and Moldovan after
15 minutes followed by further saves from Hagi and Ilie again. However, he could
do little about the Romanian goal right on the stroke of half-time as Ilie produced
a quality finish that ultimately proved to be the match-winner. After the interval
the game settled into the typical pattern of one team ahead sitting on their lead
with the other coming more and more into the match. The introduction of
Valencia for Aristizabal at the start of the second half meant that Colombia
looked more potent as an attacking force and Rincon's scorching 61st-minute shot
shaved the post, while Lozano glanced a header just wide. Valencia himself then
went close on three occasions and has surely booked his place in the starting
line-up for the next match against Tunisia. In the end the group seeds Romania
just about deserved the three points but have to settle for second place in the
table behind England who are their next opponents on Monday 22 June in the
Stade Municipal, Toulouse. |
