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'Cobra' strikes Colombians
Ilie goal helps Romania to 1-0 opening match win
Posted: Monday June 15, 1998 08:09 PM
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Just like last time! Romania knocked off Colombia for the second straight time in World Cup group play (AP) |
LYON, France (AP) -- "The Cobra" lived up to his nickname.
The 24-year-old Adrian Ilie of Valencia gave Romania a 1-0
victory Monday over Colombia -- and probably a solid chance to
qualify for the second round.
The former Steaua Bucharest star, who exploded onto the scene
this year as a forward both in Spain and for his country, placed a
magnificent chip shot in the 44th minute from some 15 yards that sailed over goalkeeper Farid Mondragon into the net.
The Valencia forward, so nicknamed because of his habit of
striking from nowhere, outmaneuvered midfielder Maurizio Serna and
defender Everth Palacios in his effort and sealed off the fate of
the Group G opener.
Ilie's goal poured cold water over Colombian efforts to avenge
their 3-1 loss to Romania at the '94 World Cup.
"We repeated the history of four years ago at USA World Cup '94
but with a different score," coach Anghel Iordanescu said after
the lively game before 44,000 soccer fans, about 7,000 of them from
Colombia.
"The victory has a great psychological importance for us,
because this was the opening game and also because we fielded
several young, less experienced players. This implied certain
risks," he said.
He replaced veteran midfielder Gheorghe Hagi, 32, with
25-year-old Lucian Marinescu of Rapid Bucharest, due to Hagi's poor
play and passing. Hagi, who plays for Galatasaray, already has
announced that he will retire after France.
The Romanian squad, still built around the core of veterans that
played at the 1994 World Cup in the United States, set the pace for
much of the match. In contrast, Colombia struggled to maintain
possession despite occasional flashes of technical excellence.
Valderrama and Hagi (left) battled all game long (AP) | |
Colombia nearly tied the game in the 85th minute when
replacement Adolfo Valencia stretched Romanian goalkeeper Bogdan
Stelea for a diving save to his right with his shot from 30 meters.
Colombia started the game briskly but its passing was ragged and
easily intercepted by the Romanians, who quickly established
midfield dominance.
Ilie had the first scoring chance on a fast break in the 11th
minute, when he beat three defenders in the box and crossed the
ball to unmarked Viorel Moldovan, who failed to connect from 7 yards.
At the start of the second half, Colombia's coach Hernan Dario
Gomez livened up his attack by substituting ineffective striker
Victor Aritsizabal with Valencia, but to no avail.
"It was a difficult game. In the first period we lacked
cohesion and clarity. After the break we were much more determined
but unfortunately we missed all our scoring opportunities. We
didn't have much luck," Gomez told reporters.
In the other Group G game Monday, England beat Tunisia 2-0.
Lineups
Romania: Bogdan Stelea; Dan Petrescu, Gheorghe Popescu, Liviu
Ciubotariu; Iulian Filipescu, Dorinel Munteanu, Gheorghe Hagi
(Lucian Marinescu, 76th), Constantin Galca, Gabriel Popescu (Ovidiu
Stinga, 68th); Adrian Ilie, Viorel Moldovan (Radu Niculescu, 85th)
Colombia: Farid Mondragon; Wilmer Cabrera, Jorge Bermudez,
Everth Palacios, Jose Santa; Maurizio Serna, Harold Lozano, Freddy
Rincon, Carlos Valderrama; Victor Aristizabal (Adolfo Valencia,
46th), Faustino Asprilla (Leider Preciado, 85th).
Referee: Lim Kee Chong, Mauritius.
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