National Team Friendly

National Stadium
Spectators: 10331 (Terracing: 7749, Seating: 2376, VIP seats: 206) Petrică Nistor started the match with the kick off in front of an excited audience. U21 Romania's Pavel Alexandru got a good chance for a goal in the 3rd minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Justino Franco took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Petrică Nistor, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. 10 minutes into the match, U21 Romania's goal looked a bit too open when Clemente Botello came free, but Emanuel Encuțu reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Julian Igon sent away a hard shot on goal in the 17th minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. Petrică Nistor could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 18th minute of the match, but Justino Franco made a huge save. A throw-in in the 29th minute of the game was made by Marius Buzoianu with Petrică Nistor as target, who quickly passed the ball forward. In the 34th minute, Clemente Botello left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The U21 Argentina fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 0-1. An unexpectedly hard shot by Petrică Nistor in the 41st minute of play forced U21 Argentina's goalkeeper Justino Franco to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. 42 minutes had been played when some careless play by U21 Argentina's defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. Vlad Opaina was slow to take the kick. During this time U21 Romania's players had a chance to rest. Vlad Opaina made a great header on U21 Romania's corner, it was just that U21 Argentina's Justino Franco managed to reach the ball for a save. In the 43rd minute, Marius Buzoianu hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. A collision led to U21 Argentina getting a freekick after 46 minutes play. Filiberto Beti hit a great ball. The U21 Romania players were disheartened as they walked off the pitch after the first half. U21 Argentina were winning 0-1.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Tobias Tohias to make the kick off. After a defensive mix-up in U21 Romania's zone, Clemente Botello stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Emanuel Encuțu came out of the goal and Clemente Botello tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Justino Franco made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Petrică Nistor in the 54th minute of play. In the 59th match minute, U21 Argentina was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Tobias Tohias to maneuver through the defense. Tobias Tohias hit a great freekick 60 minutes into the match. An unexpectedly hard shot by Clemente Botello in the 62nd minute of play forced U21 Romania's goalkeeper Emanuel Encuțu to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. The audience was convinced that Mugurel Banica's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Justino Franco was relentless in the 64th minute of the game. Marius Buzoianu hit a great freekick 66 minutes into the match. U21 Argentina's Freddy Santiago was substituted for Bruno Evangelista. U21 Argentina made a substitution. Gualterio Perrando replaced Clemente Botello. In the 68th minute, Marius Buzoianu hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. 75 minutes into the match, U21 Argentina's goal looked a bit too open when Albert Spineanu came free, but Justino Franco reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Filiberto Beti kicked well hit freekick during the 79th minute of the match. Emanuel Encuțu showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Tobias Tohias, who was totally free with the ball in the 84th minute. The supporters of U21 Argentina booed when U21 Romania was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 85 match minutes in a wonderful position. Alexander Messi didn't get a good kick on the ball. U21 Argentina's Justino Franco played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Albert Spineanu in the 88th minute of play. After 89 minutes U21 Argentina's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Paul Maghear who took care of the corner kick. After 92 minutes of play, U21 Romania's Albert Spineanu made it 1-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Justino Franco was left in no man's land by his defense there! The teams fought very hard right up to the final whistle. Both sets of players were happy to go away with a draw.