Romania 1

Puscas 46

Malta 0

George Puscas saved Romania’s blushes as the prolific striker headed home the all-important goal that handed Romania a 1-0 win over Malta in a Euro 2020 qualifier in Ploiesti on Sunday.

The Romanians might have picked up all three points that kept them in the running for a top-two finish in Group F, but the Maltese left the Stadionul Ilie Oana with their heads high after producing a remarkably lively display.

Though Malta left the stadium empty-handed, the performance of the Maltese players against one of the rising nations in European football will surely have filled coach Ray Farrugia and his coaching staff with a huge dose of optimism.

As expected Romania saw more of the ball and created several scoring chances but their hopes of securing a goal-fest, as coach Cosmin Contra demanded on the eve of the match, never materialised thanks primarily to some excellent goalkeeping from Henry Bonello and the excellent defensive display of the visiting side.

But the most pleasing aspect of Malta’s performance yesterday was the fact that contrary to the match against Norway, when the boys in red rarely ventured outside their half, the team managed to play some positive football and created a number of scoring chances.

A huge chance fell to Juan Corbalan late in the first half, when he was denied by a fine save from Romanian goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu, which could have given a completely different outcome to the match.

It was satisfying to see that Malta’s vibrant performance was acknowledged also by the home fans at the end of the match who applauded the visitors on their way out of the stadium.

Coach Farrugia and his players can look with a positive frame of mind to next month’s qualifiers at home to Sweden and more importantly the crucial trip to the Faroe Islands where the team could assure themselves of avoiding finishing bottom of the group for the first time after several years.

Farrugia effected two changes from the team that lost 2-0 in Norway as Luke Gambin and Jean Paul Farrugia were preferred to the not fully fit Paul Fenech and Jake Grech.

The Malta coach was also boosted by the news that defender Zach Muscat recovered from the dead leg he suffered against Norway in Oslo on Thursday. The Olhaense defender kept his place in a three-man defence alongside Andrei Agius and Steve Borg.

Romania coach Cosmin Contra fielded almost a different team to the one that lost to Spain in midweek.

In fact, the former Milan wing back only reconfirmed goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu, defender Vlad Chiriches and forward George Puscas.

Among the players who were recalled was Ianis Hagi, the son of former Romania legend Gheorghe, and Ravzan Marin, who is on the books of Dutch giants Ajax.

Romania, spurred by a vociferous home crowd, pressed on the accelerator right from the outset and after six minutes central defender Vlad Chiriches but the former Tottenham defender miscued his shot when under pressure from Andrei Agius.

The home side had an even better chance on nine minutes when Hagi played in Florin Andone but the former Brighton forward was denied by Bonello.

Romania had the ball in the Malta net on 11 minutes when George Puscas showed great skill to turn past Steve Borg before laying the ball to Marin who chipped the ball past Bonello but the last touch came from Andone, who was in an offside position, and the goal was annulled.

The pressure was now increasing on the Malta defence and on 14 minutes Andone burst through but was denied by Bonello’s extended foot.

The Malta goalkeeper again distinguished himself on 22 minutes with a fine diving save on Marin’s shot from the distance.

Malta were trying to push forward and had a few openings with little success due to a poor final ball.

Bonello continued to frustrate the home side when he showed great reflexes to push away Hagi’s shot in two attempts.

From the resultant corner, taken by Hagi, Puscas juped over his marker but headed just wide.

Malta had a glorious chance to take the lead when the Juan Corbalan robbed a good ball in midfield and was put clear by Farrugia but with only Ciprian Tatarusanu to beat the Gżira winger saw his shot blocked by the Romania no. 1.

Romania were growing increasingly frustrated as the minutes passed as the visitors where pressing high giving the home side little chance to manouvre.

Just before the half-time interval, Mihai Bordeianu hit a thumping drive that whizzed past the upright as the first half ended goalless.

But that all changed at the start of the second half as Romania took less than a minute to forge ahead.

They won a corner from which Hagi picked Puscas and the Reading striker headed past Bonello.

The goal provided a much needed relief to the home fans and players who were now hoping their team would go on and rubberstamp their victory.

But the Maltese refused to panic and on 65 minutes Gambin let fly a thumping drive that Tatarusanu was forced to push to a corner.

Malta coach Farrugia tried to inject some fresh legs up front when he roped in Alfred Effiong for Nwoko.

On 73 minutes, Gambin picked Farrugia who turned past his marker but his low drive was neutralized by Tatarusanu.

As the minutes passed, the Romanians were looking increasingly short of ideas when pushing forward.

Two minutes from time, Effiong’s diagonal shot was pushed into an empty net by Farrugia but the Maltese players’ celebrations were cut short as the assistant referee raised his flag to signal that the Malta striker was in an offside position.