Romania’s youth team defeated the similar team from Montenegro 6-2 (2-1) on Friday in Niksic in Group E of the preliminaries and remains in the race for qualification to the European Under-21 Football Championship in 2025.
Romania beat Montenegro 6-2. PHOTO Facebook Romania’s national football team
The team coached by Daniel Pancu clearly prevailed, through the goals scored by Louis Munteanu (16, 27, 74), Rareş Ilie (52), Octavian Popescu (59), Mihnea Rădulescu (89), respectively Nikola Janjic (21), Balsa Mrvaljevic (69), according to Agerpres.
The tricolors, who had to win to keep chances of being present at the fourth consecutive final tournament, started well.
The first opportunity of the tricolors, in the second minute
Ianis Stoica had a good first opportunity to score in the second minute, but he shot wide. Rares Ilie shot from 13 meters, but the goalkeeper Ivezic rejected in the crossbar (13).
The Romanian national team opened the scoring through Louis Munteanu (16), with a header from 6 meters from Pantea’s cross.
The Montenegrin team managed to equalize shortly after, through Nikola Janjic (21), directly from the corner, taking advantage of an inappropriate positioning of the goalkeeper Răzvan Sava.
The hosts made the double (27), with a shot placed in the corner from the center of the box, after Octavian Popescu’s pass.
Until the break, each team had an opportunity, but Sava rejected Cetkovic’s shot (34), while Ivezic rejected Munteanu’s corner shot (45+2).
Romania scored twice in the first quarter of an hour of the second half, through Rareş Ilie (52), launched by Borza, with a lob over the goalkeeper, and through Octavian Popescu (59), with a shot from the corner, deflected by Djuric.
The Montenegrins immediately scored a spectacular goal through Balsa Mrvaljevic (69), with a shot under the crossbar, without hope for Sava.
The tricolors scored twice in Niksic, through Louis Munteanu (74), who scored the hat-trick with a volley from the edge of the box, and through Mihnea Rădulescu (89), with a lob over the goalkeeper, after Sava’s clearance , who redeemed his mistake from the hosts’ first goal.
Also on Friday, the match between Switzerland and Finland, Romania’s opponents in the qualification, will take place.
Romania is currently the leader, with 19 points (9 games), followed by Switzerland, 17 p (8 d), Finland, 16 p (8 d), Albania, 13 p (9 d), Montenegro, 7 p (9 d ), Armenia, 2 p (9 j).
The last matches in the group will take place on October 15, Romania – Switzerland, Finland – Montenegro and Albania – Armenia.
The winners of the 9 groups and the best 3 second-placed teams (not counting the results against the sixth-placed teams) qualify directly for the final tournament. The last three places in the tournament will be occupied after a play-off, in a double leg, between the other 6 teams on the second places. Slovakia, the host country, is directly qualified.
Montenegro – Romania 2-6 (1-2)
They scored: Nikola Janjic (21), Balsa Mrvaljevic (69), respectively Louis Munteanu (16, 27, 74), Rareş Ilie (52), Octavian Popescu (59), Mihnea Rădulescu (89).
Niksic, City Stadium Niksic
2025 European Under-21 Championship Preliminaries – Group E
The teams evolved:
Montenegro: 1. Nikola Ivezic – 18. Igor Pajovic (captain; 17. Nikola Vukovic, 85), 5. Andrej Djuric, 20. Stefan Malentijevic, 19. Ognjen Gasevic – 8. Aleksa Cetkovic (21. Andrej Bajovic, 67), 6. Andrija Bulatovic (11. Dusan Vukovic, 46) – 16. Nikola Janjic (22. Medo Jukovic, 85), 10. Ognjen Bakic, 7. Vasilije Cavor (15. Balsa Mrvaljevic, 46) – 9. Vladimir Perisic. Selector: Nikola Rakojevic.
Unused reserves: 12. Sergej Joksimovic – 2. Damjan Dakic, 4. Marko Franeta, 23. Robert Gjelaj.
Romania: 1. Răzvan Sava – 2. Alexandru Pantea (18. David Maftei, 68), 13. Gabriel Danuleasa, 5. Umit Akdag, 11. Andrei Borza – 6. Ovidiu Perianu, 8. Constantin Grameni – 19. Rares Ilie ( 17. Marius Corbu, 68) – 7. Ianis Stoica (20. Mihnea Rădulescu, 69), 9. Louis Munteanu (captain; 22. Vladislav Blănuţă, 78), 10. Octavian Popescu (16. Robert Silaghi, 68). Selector: Daniel Pancu.
Unused reserves: 12. Robert Popa – 4. Costin Amzăr, 14. Cristian Licsandru, 21. Cristian Mihai.
Referee: Jeremie Pignard; assistant referees: Mikael Berchebru, Laurent Coniglio; fourth official: Hakim Ben El Hadj (all from France)
Yellow cards: Bulatovic (38), Grameni (53), Djuric (90+3).
