Dică delivers as Romania come good

Romania 4-0 Montenegro

Penalty save
Although the scoreline may suggest otherwise, Victor Piţurcă's team did not have things all their own way in Bucharest. Goalkeeper Bogdan Lobonţ saved a first-minute Mirko Vučinić spot-kick and was otherwise excellent, laying the foundations for Romania to win through strikes from Adrian Mutu (15th minute), Sorin Ghionea (49) and Dică (54, 69).

Wonderful assist
There was early drama at the Steaua Stadium as Gabriel Tamaş brought down Vučinić. The AS Roma forward picked himself up to take the penalty but Lobont guessed correctly and an early setback was averted. Romania needed a goal to settle them, and it arrived on the quarter-hour when captain Cristian Chivu played a wonderful pass to Mutu who finished just as well.

Party atmosphere
Lobont and opposite number Mladen Božović both did exceptionally to prevent further goals before the break, after which it was all Romania as the substitutes took centre stage. Ghionea, on for Tamaş, headed in a Florentin Petre cross four minutes after half-time, before Dică twice found the net from the edge of the box to increase the party atmosphere in the capital. Piţurcă refused to get carried away, however, pointing out that France will not be so wasteful when the sides meet in Zurich a week on Sunday.

Romania: Lobonţ (M Popa 46), Contra, Tamaş (Ghionea 46), Radu, Raţ, Petre, Rădoi (Codrea 46), Cociş (Dică 46), Chivu, Marica (M Niculae 46), Mutu (D Niculae 46).

Montenegro: M Božović, Pavicević, Tanasijevic, Jovanović (Ognjanović 76), V Božović, Bogavac (Dalovic 70), Drinčić, Peković (Novaković 72), Bošković, Burzanović (Jovetić 46), Vučinić (Porović 86).