Match ends, Romania 1, Northern Ireland 1.
RomaniaRomania1Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland1
A youthful Northern Ireland produced a strong performance in a 1-1 friendly draw with Euro 2024-bound Romania in Bucharest.
Jamie Reid, who plays for League One Stevenage, gave them a shock seventh-minute lead on his international debut.
Parma's Dennis Man equalised midway through the first half for the hosts.
The draw means Romania are now unbeaten in 12 internationals, while Northern Ireland backed up November's win over Denmark with a solid display.
Manager Michael O'Neill had spoken about his belief in a young squad as he builds for the future following a poor Euro 2024 qualifying campaign.
That was reflected in his starting team for the friendly, which had an average age of just 23.5 and the oldest player was 29-year-old debutant Reid.
But the Stevenage striker made an immediate impact with the opener.
Conor Bradley, so impressive for club Liverpool, broke down the right to feed Shea Charles and the Southampton midfielder squared the ball across the edge of the box for Reid to calmly finish.
Northern Ireland looked dangerous on the counter attack and Florinel Coman made a strong tackle to deny Bradley as he broke into the area. The full-back then almost fed the stretching Isaac Price, who just couldn't get to the ball before Romania goalkeeper Florin Nita.
The 40,000-strong home crowd got the reward for their patience when Man levelled in the 24th minute.
His powerful strike from inside the area went through the gloves of goalkeeper Conor Hazard, who will feel he should have done better to keep the effort out.
A long ball forward was well controlled by Man, and the midfielder cut inside before beating the Plymouth keeper.
Man almost replicated that effort as he worked his way into the area and let fly again, but his strike hit team-mate George Puscas and the visitors cleared.
Romania - who will face Belgium, Slovakia and either Ukraine or Iceland at the Euros - almost took the lead in first-half injury-time.
Vasile Mogos found space in the area but Brodie Spencer got a crucial touch on the ball as the full-back looked to shoot.
Romania dominated possession in the second half but struggled to break down the visitors.
Razvan Marin fired straight at half-time substitute keeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell and home captain Nicolae Stanciu volleyed over from a well-worked corner.
NI captain Paddy McNair and Spencer provided crucial interventions and while Northern Ireland looked dangerous on the counter-attack, they were restricted in attack to a long-range effort from McNair and blocked effort from Price.
After a strong showing in Romania, O'Neill's side travel to Glasgow to face Scotland, who lost 4-0 to the Netherlands, on Tuesday in the second of March's friendlies.
Line-ups
Romania
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 1Nita
- 22MogosSubstituted forSorescuat 45'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 3Dragusin
- 15BurcaBooked at 21minsSubstituted forRacovitanat 75'minutes
- 4Manea
- 18MarinSubstituted forSutat 75'minutes
- 20ManSubstituted forHagiat 75'minutes
- 8CicâldauSubstituted forOlaruat 62'minutes
- 10Stanciu
- 25ComanSubstituted forMihailaat 62'minutes
- 9PuscasBooked at 76mins
Substitutes
- 2Ratiu
- 5Sut
- 6Marin
- 7Alibec
- 11Tanase
- 12Moldovan
- 13Mihaila
- 14Hagi
- 16Târnovanu
- 17Rus
- 19Dragus
- 21Morutan
- 23Sorescu
- 24Olaru
- 26Racovitan
Northern Ireland
Formation 5-4-1
- 12HazardBooked at 44minsSubstituted forPeacock-Farrellat 45'minutes
- 2Bradley
- 3Hume
- 17McNairBooked at 81mins
- 5Toal
- 20Spencer
- 14Price
- 19Charles
- 15ThompsonSubstituted forMcCannat 72'minutes
- 13LaneSubstituted forMcMenaminat 62'minutes
- 10ReidSubstituted forMagennisat 71'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Peacock-Farrell
- 4Donnelly
- 7McMenamin
- 8Marshall
- 9Lavery
- 11Smyth
- 16McCann
- 18Boyd-Munce
- 21Magennis
- 22Brown
- 23Southwood
- Referee:
- Kristoffer Karlsson
- Attendance:
- 30,439
Match Stats
Home TeamRomaniaAway TeamNorthern Ireland
- Possession
- Home71%
- Away29%
- Shots
- Home11
- Away5
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away2
- Corners
- Home5
- Away1
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away15
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Romania 1, Northern Ireland 1.
Post update
Offside, Northern Ireland. Josh Magennis is caught offside.
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Offside, Romania. Ianis Hagi is caught offside.
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Nicolae Stanciu (Romania) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Shea Charles (Northern Ireland).
Booking
Deian Sorescu (Romania) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Deian Sorescu (Romania).
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Conor McMenamin (Northern Ireland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Delay in match because of an injury Josh Magennis (Northern Ireland).
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Cristian Manea (Romania) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Josh Magennis (Northern Ireland).
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Attempt missed. Radu Dragusin (Romania) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Adrian Sut.
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Bogdan Racovitan (Romania) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Josh Magennis (Northern Ireland).
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Attempt saved. Ianis Hagi (Romania) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Valentin Mihaila.
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Corner, Northern Ireland. Conceded by Cristian Manea.
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Attempt blocked. Isaac Price (Northern Ireland) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
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Foul by Darius Olaru (Romania).
Comments
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Strong performance and result .
Well done to Ried on his debut.
Not a great spectacle, no standout performances just a work like team effort.
These young players need to grow up quick so good luck in your journey 👍