World Cup ’94 : WORLD CUP USA ’94 / GROUP A PREVIEW : Romania at a Glance
* COACH: Anghel Iordanescu.
* KEY PLAYERS: Gheorghe Hagi, Ilie Dumitrescu, Miodrag Belodedici.
* STRENGTHS: Romania came within a missed penalty kick of reaching the quarterfinals in Italia ’90 and many of those players are back. In other words, the team has World Cup experience. Belodedici controls the defense from his sweeper position. Midfielder Hagi is among the most effective playmakers in the world when it suits him. Dumitrescu has been the side’s most efficient and successful goal scorer lately, even though he is nominally a midfielder.
* WEAKNESSES: A habit of never quite living up to their potential has dogged the Romanians for some time. They do not, as the saying goes, travel well, usually performing far better at home than on the road, and their temperament and commitment are questionable.
* WORLD CUP HISTORY: Five previous appearances. Record of 3-6-3. Best finish was in reaching the second round in 1990.
* LITTLE-KNOWN FACT: Romania lost to Ireland on penalty kicks in the second round of the 1990 tournament and neither goalkeeper Silviu Lung, who failed to stop a single shot, nor Ion Timofte, who missed the crucial fifth kick, made the 1994 squad.
* OUTLOOK: The first match, against Colombia, will be a good indicator of Romania’s resolve, and the second, against Switzerland, will be key to whether the team finishes second or third. The third game, against the United States, probably will be a must-win for both teams.
* PREDICTED FIRST-ROUND FINISH: Third.
ROSTER
No. Name Position 1 Florin Prunea Goalkeeper 12 Bogdan Stelea Goalkeeper 22 Stefan Preda Goalkeeper 2 Dan Petrescu Defender 4 Miodrag Belodedici Defender 3 Daniel Prodan Defender 14 Gheorghe Mihali Defender 13 Tibor Selimess Defender 18 Constantin Galca Defender 5 Ionut Lupescu Midfielder 6 Gheorghe Popescu Midfielder 7 Dorinel Munteanu Midfielder 8 Iulian Chirita Midfielder 10 Gheorghe Hagi Midfielder 15 Basarab Panduru Midfielder 16 Ion Vladoiu Midfielder 19 Cornel Papura Midfielder 9 Florin Raducioiu Forward 11 Ilie Dumitrescu Forward 17 Viorel Moldovan Forward 20 Ovidiu Stinga Forward 21 Marian Ivan Forward
