Romania Stun Ukraine 3-0 in Euro 2024 Opener
Eduard Iordănescu's men got off to a flying start at the European Championship in Germany, defeating Ukraine 3-0 at the Allianz Arena in Munich.
The match was broadcast live and exclusively on Moldovan national television station Moldova 1.
Romania carved out a good early chance in the 8th minute when Florinel Coman unleashed a powerful shot from over 20 metres out. The Romanian Superliga top scorer aimed for the centre of the goal, but Real Madrid goalkeeper Andrii Lunin made a comfortable save.
The Romanians, also known as the Boys in Blue, found the back of the net in the 29th minute. Lunin miscued a clearance from his own area, and Dennis Man pounced on the loose ball before playing a perfect pass to Nicolae Stanciu. Romania's captain unleashed a fantastic shot from about 23 metres out, leaving Lunin with no chance. Stanciu nearly doubled the lead just before halftime with a well-executed corner kick that rattled the crossbar.
The Romanians doubled their lead just seven minutes after the break. Following another counterattack initiated by Denis Drăguș, Răzvan Marin unleashed a superb shot from over 20 metres out. Lunin again struggled to deal with the effort, failing to convincingly stop the Serie A midfielder's powerful strike. Eduard Iordănescu's side continued to press forward and extended their lead further in the 57th minute. Dennis Man dribbled past a Ukrainian defender before driving into the penalty area. His low cross found Denis Drăguș, who tapped the ball home to make it 3-0.
Chelsea's star winger, Mîhailo Mudrîk, almost pulled a goal back for Ukraine late in the game. He came close in the 84th minute with a dangerous shot from the left flank that sailed just over the crossbar. In stoppage time, Mudrîk unleashed another powerful effort from outside the box, but Romanian goalkeeper Florin Niță managed to make a save despite some initial difficulty.
This is just Romania's second win at the European Championships. Their first victory came at the 2,000 edition when they defeated England 3-2. The Romanians will look to build on this impressive performance when they face Belgium in their next match at EURO 2024, scheduled for Saturday, June 22nd, at 10:00 PM local time.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
