Romania had a nightmare in Zenica, losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Chopped up by English referee Michael Oliver, who tolerated the hosts’ intimidating play, the tricolors were completely lost after a good half. The last 45 minutes of the game were a disaster for our team, who scored quickly from the fox Dzeko, so that Drăguș, who had just entered the field, was eliminated and poured lead into the feet of his colleagues.
Mihaila and his colleagues, hard times in Zenica. Sportpictures photo
Everything broke from here, because Romania no longer mattered, the hosts storming Ionuț Radu’s goal. The goals came naturally, Bajraktarevic and Tabakovic writing 3-1 on the scoreboard. Defeat for the tricolors seals the third position in the group, regardless of Tuesday’s result with San Marino, so Mircea Lucescu’s students will go to the play-off on the Nations League route, which means they will be in the 4th valuable urn in the draw.
BOSNIA – ROMANIA 3-1
Scored: Dzeko (50), Bajraktarevic (79), Tabakovic (90+3)/ Bîrligea (18)
Red card: Cute (68)
UPDATE 23.45. Heavy defeat for the tricolors, who conceded another goal in overtime.
UPDATE 23.25: Bosnia takes advantage, taking advantage of the demotion in the camp of the tricolors. Bajraktarevic scores a fabulous goal, from the corner of the box, directly into the net. The hosts went wild and missed opportunity after opportunity. Ours are on the ground.
UPDATE 23.21: Ianis Hagi and Dragomir – both deleted – are replaced by Miculescu and Răzvan Marin.
UPDATE 23.13: Romania remains with 10 men, after Drăguș is eliminated, one minute after entering the field. Our striker kicked an opponent in the head. Nightmare innings for the tricolors.
UPDATE 23.12: Drăguș replaces Bîrligea. The primitive play of the hosts earns them their fifth yellow card, half of what they should have deserved.
UPDATE 23.05: The game resumed after several minutes of interruption, after Marius Marin was filled with blood by an opponent who elbowed him in the ear. The English referee turned a blind eye to this phase as well and forgave Tabakovic with a card. All this time, the Bosnian supporters shouted “Gypsies, Gypsies”.
UPDATE 22.52: The game resumed. Bosnia made two changes at half-time: Alajbegovic came on for Malic and Tabakovic came on for Bazdar, while Mircea Lucescu replaced the same players. Dzeko manages to equalize quickly after a stutter from our defenders.
UPDATE 22.33: Final point of the first half, with Romania in minimal advantage, after the hosts shake the crossbar in the last phase.
UPDATE 22.28: Dennis Man misses the breakaway from all positions. Bosnia retaliates and sends the first shot at Ionuț Radu’s goal, but our goalkeeper keeps the ball.
Daniel Bîrligea opened the scoring in the match against Bosnia. Sportpictures photo
UPDATE 22.25: Referee Michael Oliver judges all phases in favor of Bosnia, tolerating the tough and intimidating play of the hosts.
UPDATE 22.13: Bosnia force an equaliser, throwing all the balls at 39-year-old star Dzeko, but the tricolors are holding their own. Romania tries to strike a new blow on the counterattack.
The joy of the tricolors, after they opened the scoring in Zenica. Sportpictures photo
UPDATE 22.03. Romania scores, after a cross on foot by Mihăilă and a perfect shot by Bîrligea. There is silence in the stands of the arena in Zenica.
UPDATE 22.01: Rare opportunity for Romania to open the scoring. Man brilliantly passed to Mihăila, he took over and shot at the far corner, but the Bosnia goalkeeper cleared the ball, which went a few inches past the bar.
UPDATE 21.56: Despite the permanent pressure from the stands, the tricolors are performing quite bravely. Ours had the first chances, while the Bosnians came close to Ionuț Radu’s goal only at the end of the first 10 minutes of play. In Zenica, the stadium is full, with around 12,000 spectators attending the game.
UPDATE 21.45. The two hymns were sung. Romania’s was whistled and booed by the spectators at the arena in Zenica, with all the opposition of the tricolor fans, who tried to face the hosts. After the pitches were drawn, with Dzeko and Hagi in the center, the referee started the game in Bosnia.
UPDATE 21.40: The match in Zenica is important not only for Romania, but also for the brothers across the Prut. In the event that our national team wins and succeeds in taking the 2nd place in the group, it will free up a place in the ranking of the 4 best national teams in the Nations League, which will be occupied by Moldova, the neighboring country going to catch the dam.
UPDATE 21.19: Mircea Lucescu revealed the key to success in this game. “If the boys bring the intelligence from the Austria game, we will play well. That’s important. And the win is important, but I want to see the team play at the highest level”said the coach of the national team. Today, Romania has the chance to look like a big team away from home. The last good match made by the tricolors on the ground of an opponent dates back to September 2024, when they won 3-0 in Kosovo, in Lucescu’s debut match this term.
UPDATE 21.11: The home team’s coach, Sergej Barbarez, will start the game in the following formula: Vasilj – Malic, Katic, Burnic, Muharemovic – Bazdar, Tahirovic, Bajraktarevic – Dedic, Dzeko, Memic. Reserves are Hadzikic, Alomislic, Hadzikadunic, Kolasinac, Gigovic, Tabakovic, Basic, Hadziahmetovic, Saric and Alajbegovic
UPDATE 21.07: Mircea Lucescu decided that three players would watch the match from the stands: Baiaram, from U Craiova, Darius Olaru, from FCSB, and Louis Munteanu, from CFR Cluj.
UPDATE 21.00: When our players entered the pitch for the turf inspection, all the home fans provided outrageous moments, chanting “Gypsies, Gypsies”. Those who provoked them were some Romanian fans, who on the way to Bosnia stopped in Belgrade and paid tribute to Ratko Mladic, the author of several massacres among the Muslim population of this country.
More than an hour before the start of the game, Mircea Lucescu announced the first 11 with which he approaches the game with Bosnia. Ianis Hagi is the captain, the central defenders are Racovițan and Ghiță, while Bîrligea will play in attack. Here is the starting formula of our boys: 1. I Radu – 2. Rațiu, 3. Racovițan, 5. Ghiță, 8. Chipciu – 10. Hagi, 6. M. Marin, 22. V. Dragomir – 20. Man, 9. Bîrligea, 13. Mihăilă. Reserves: 12. Târnovanu, 16. Aioani – 4. Rus, 7. Drăguș, 11. Bancu, 14. Screciu, 15. Eissat, 17. Miculescu, 18. R. Marin, 19. F. Tănase, 21. Petrila, 23. Sorescu.
Regardless of the result of the match, Romania no longer has a chance for the first position in the group, which ensures direct qualification to the WC 2026. Austria defeated Cyprus today and can no longer be reached by the tricolors, so the only option for the tricolors to reach the final tournament hosted by the USA; Canada and Mexico is across the dam. On the other hand, Bosnia, with a win in front of us, can attack the first place in the last game of the group, in Vienna.
Group H, last games
Today: Cyprus – Austria 0-2, Bosnia and Herzegovina – Romania 3-1
Tuesday: Romania – San Marino (21.45), Austria – Bosnia and Herzegovina (21.45)
