France and Romania renew acquaintances
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Article summary
Group D contenders France and Romania come face to face for the second qualification campaign in succession and on a run of three successive draws against one another.
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Article body
The top seeds in Group D may be meeting for the first time since the start of UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying, but they must be getting used to facing each other after crossing swords three times in barely two years.
Match background
• France's record in 13 games against Romania reads W6 D4 L3 (W4 D2 L1 at home).
• After contesting a goalless stalemate in Zurich at UEFA EURO 2008, France and Romania were pooled together again in 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying to similarly inconclusive effect. Romania led 2-0 in Constanta only to draw 2-2 in their first encounter, before holding Les Bleus 1-1 at the Stade de France.
• Thus, the last three matches between the Group D rivals have ended in draws.
• Romania came out on top in the first two games between the nations, triumphing 6-3 in a friendly in Bucharest on 12 June 1932 and then winning 2-1 in Paris on 22 March 1967. They have not won in six away games against France since then.