Romania out to settle old Switzerland score
Friday, January 1, 2016
Article summary
Anghel Iordănescu's Romania can avenge a humiliating defeat at the 1994 FIFA World Cup as the nations meet again in UEFA EURO 2016 Group A in Paris.
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Romania and Switzerland met in their second game at the 1994 FIFA World Cup finals – a match Swiss fans will remember with much more fondness as the nations reconvene in UEFA EURO 2016 Group A.
Previous meetings
• The sides have met 12 times, each recording five wins and two draws.
• Switzerland enjoyed one of their finest World Cup victories when Roy Hodgson's team beat Romania 4-1 indoors at the Pontiac Silverdome, Detroit, in 1994. However, Anghel Iordănescu's Romania recovered to win the group and progress to the quarter-finals while the Swiss exited in the round of 16.
• Swiss hopes of qualifying for EURO '92 were ruined when, needing a point from their last fixture in Bucharest, they lost to a goal from Romania midfielder Dorin Mateuţ. That meant Scotland reached the finals instead.
• Romania have beaten Switzerland on Swiss soil twice in six attempts, including on their latest visit, in May 2012, when they prevailed 1-0 in Lucerne. Alexandru Maxim came on to make his Romania debut 82 minutes into that game.
EURO facts – Romania
• Romania failed to win a game at their most recent final tournament, UEFA EURO 2008 (D2 L1), scoring only once in the process.
• Romania boasted the best defensive record in UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying, conceding just twice in their ten games and making it to the finals unbeaten (W5 D5).
• Romania have played three previous games at the Parc des Princes, all friendlies against France; they won the first 2-1 in 1967, but lost the most recent ones – in 1969 and 1974 – 1-0.
EURO facts – Switzerland
• Switzerland's record in qualifying was W7 D0 L3, with two of those defeats coming against Group E winners England.
• This is Switzerland's first continental finals since they co-hosted UEFA EURO 2008 with Austria. They lost their opening two games and bowed out at the group stage despite a 2-0 win against Portugal in their final fixture.
• That success against Portugal was Switzerland's first victory in nine EURO finals matches (W1 D2 L6). They have yet to make it through the group stage in three appearances.
• Switzerland's five friendly meetings with France at the Parc des Princes ended W1 D2 L2, with the two draws coming in their most recent visits (in 1958 – 0-0 – and 1963 – 2-2).
Coach and player links
• In the most recent encounters between the nations' clubs, Basel and Steaua Bucureşti twice drew 1-1 in the 2013/14 UEFA Champions League group stage.
• Romania assistant coach Viorel Moldovan played in Switzerland for Neuchâtel Xamax and Grasshoppers and was the league's top scorer with both sides, in 1996 and 1997 respectively.
• Have played together:
Gabriel Torje (Romania) and Gelson Fernandes (Switzerland) – Udinese, 2012