NEW DELHI: Romania delivered a superb performance to secure their first European Championship victory in 24 years, defeating Ukraine 3-0 in their Euro 2024 Group E opener.
Captain Nicolae Stanciu and midfielder Razvan Marin scored stunning long-range goals that left Ukraine stunned, despite their dominance in the opening 20 minutes.
Stanciu's powerful shot into the top right corner gave Ukraine goalkeeper Andriy Lunin little chance. Lunin was at fault for the second goal, which slipped underneath him as he dove.
Ukraine struggled to capitalize on their early possession, while Romania absorbed the pressure and struck on the counter after regaining possession deep in their own half.
Before the match, Romania's coach Edward Iordanescu had promised, "My players would fight for every metre on the pitch," and they delivered, defending fiercely and launching counter-attacks as their supporters cheered them on.
The outcome was all but sealed shortly before the hour mark when forward Dennis Man drove into the box from a corner and set up Denis Dragus for an easy tap-in.
Romania's solid defense prevented Ukraine from getting any significant goal chances, securing their second win in 17 European Championship matches. Their first victory was a 3-2 win over England at Euro 2000.
For Iordanescu, the win was a special birthday gift, coming a day after his celebration. The victory also validated Romania's unbeaten qualifying campaign.
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