The Romanian soccer team lived its best days in the USA 94. PHOTO: https://chile.as.com/
The best Romanian football team in history was the one that played the world championship 1994. If there is a World Cup that Romanians dream of every night, that is the one USA 94. Anghel Iordănescu achieved during 5 games to make an entire country believe that there was a chance of being the best team on earth. And for a moment it was, when they managed to defeat the dreaded Argentina. That team had a lot of the best romanian players in history And because of that, that generation was in the memory.
The beginning of a dream for the best Romanian football team in history
Romania national team, directed by Anghel Iordănescu and with such stars as Florin Raducioiu O Gica Hagi, He was one of the 24 countries participating in the World Cup 1994 held in the USA. UU.
That would be the second consecutive participation of the Romanians in the competition, having reached the round of 16 in Italy 1990, where they would be eliminated on penalties against Ireland. This time, Romania would be paired in Group A with the United States after the draw, Colombia and Switzerland.
His debut would be in the Estadio Rose Bowl the 14 June 1994 against Colombia. The game started on the right foot thanks to a goal in the minute 15 by Florin. The second to score for the Europeans would be Hagi, that would raise the 2-0 to the bright. Colombia did not want to be left behind and Adolfo Valencia scored the 2-1 for coffee growers. A goal that served no other purpose than to get even with the embarrassment because a few minutes later, Florin Raducioiu would return to the charge, sentencing the party with a crushing 3-1.
The second game was played by 22 in June Pontiac Silverdome against Switzerland. A meeting that they started losing and that they could not trace back. To such an extent did the massacre, who went home with a rout (1-4). The only thing left to think about was the next clash against the USA. UU. And only victory was worth.
At the Rose Bowl and with the hosts as adversaries, the Romanians dominated the match, imposing 0-1 with goal Dan Petrescu in what would be the last match of the Romanian side in the group stage.
so with everything, and despite that 1-4 against the swiss, Iordănescu's National Team finished first in Group A with 6 points, followed by Switzerland and USA. UU. with 4 and Columbia (eliminated) with 3.
In the REM phase
In the round of 16 they had to play against the beaten Argentina, without Maradona, banned for doping. Dumitrescu was in charge of getting ahead of the Albiceleste scoring in the minute 11, but it would not take long for Batistuta to equalize with a penalty (1-1). The shock was intense. Ilie returned to the small area to score the 2-1. a bit that, added to the one that Hagi would score a few minutes later (3-1), would put the final point of a round of 16 win remembered as the highest point Romanian football has reached at national team level.
Hagi was the leader of Romania in the World USA'94 in which his team reached the Quarterfinals (Apuntesderabona)
The bitterest awakening
But every good nap has to end. Romania had to do it 10 July of the 94 against Sweden, in what would be a very even awakening. After achieving position as one of the 8 world cup best, Stanford Stadium would become the scene of the nightmare.
The game started badly after an early goal by Tomas Brolin. But Romania was not going to sit idly by. Two minutes from the end, the trusty striker, Florin, once again he did his thing, marking the 1-1 and taking the match to extra time. in extra time, Florin Raducioiu put the Romanian team ahead again. A brief soneca with the Cup that vanished after a few minutes. The executioner?, Kennet Andersson, a young swedish man 1,93 who returned the tables to the marker.
end of the 120 minutes. the penalty. The 11 meters seemed to be good for Anghel Iordănesc's men, but nevertheless, finally the Swedes ended up prevailing. The blues and yellows (that there would be third parties) They became the alarm clock 8:00am from the dream of those from Eastern Europe, who left the competition with 3 victories and 2 losses, signing what is, Until today, his best streak in a World Cup (6th position).
