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- 2 months ago
Germany kick off Group A. England and Portugal are also in this group.
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00:00Thomas Hessler there, number eight, is playing his 100th international today.
00:04It's going to be a special presentation on the pitch in a moment.
00:06Marcus Babel, soon to join Liverpool, is winning his 50th cap.
00:10So too is Oliver Bierhoff.
00:13And Middlesbrough's Christian Seeger there, number 17.
00:16He reached his half-century in the last of the warm-up games.
00:20It's quite a night for the older generation.
00:22Fiorgi Popescu, scourge of Arsenal, plays his 99th international tonight.
00:27Chelsea's Dan Petrescu there, number two.
00:29He reaches the 90 mark.
00:31And up front, Viral Moldovan.
00:33Coventry fans may remember him making a handful of appearances for them in the Premiership.
00:39Munchiano, the number eight, you might remember, was the unlucky man in 1996 who shot, hit the bar at Newcastle.
00:45Came down over the line, but no goal was given.
00:48There's the presentation to Thomas Hessler, 34 years old.
00:52Wonderful achievement for him to reach 100 caps.
00:55Half and rink up front.
00:56For Romania, Steller in goal.
00:58Civitario, Popescu and Filippescu at the back.
01:01Petrescu and Kivu on the wings.
01:03Montiano, Galka and Haji in midfield.
01:06And up the middle, Illy and Moldovan.
01:09Just gave you those because we're not seeing the team's information on the screen at the moment.
01:14Here's Bierhoff for Germany.
01:17Number five is Galka, the defensive midfield player.
01:20Now, Haji straight away from the kick-off.
01:22Up against Novotny, the German number six.
01:28Now, Jeremies.
01:35A big responsibility on Thomas Hessler, and he started well.
01:40That's his men at Scholl.
01:41Tucked back in the game by rink.
01:43And Bierhoff nearly in on Steller.
01:46It's a corner.
01:47Down to Trescu, pulling him in all sorts of trouble there.
01:50Steller certainly didn't want it there.
01:52It was underweighted.
01:54Very quick to spot it there, Bierhoff.
01:56I think they're just happy to take the corner there.
01:58Yeah, Marcus Babel's on the near post, number two.
02:01Linker is standing just behind him, number four.
02:03The Germans are really crowding that area.
02:06And Paolo Rink standing also on the goal line.
02:12Oh, and the header.
02:14Well, it hit a Romanian post, another corner.
02:19And the referee's gone to speak to the players on the near post.
02:22There's a bit of jostling going on there, I think.
02:30Babel and Linker making a nuisance.
02:33Look at themselves, but the remaining is having to really double up there.
02:40But they might break out here.
02:44It's a good-looking ball.
02:46Now, this should test Lothar Mateus.
02:47Can he get across?
02:48He can.
02:49It was to stop Illy.
02:51Just as well.
02:53It was a bit over-hit because he would have had two against one.
02:58Untianu.
03:00Filipescu.
03:05Oh, and Illy's away.
03:07And they've got a Manfrey in the middle if he can find him.
03:09And Moldovan!
03:11And Romania have taken the lead.
03:13With only four minutes gone.
03:16And Germany were all over the place.
03:19What on earth was going on in the defence?
03:21Khan will have something to say about that.
03:23There was so much space.
03:25They let Illy go.
03:26And nobody picked up Moldovan.
03:29I think he's onside when he makes the run.
03:31There's a poor piece of defending there by Linker.
03:34And look at Moldovan.
03:35He pulls away from his marker and only has to tap the ball in the roof of the net.
03:40That's all he had to do.
03:41He tried hard, actually, to miss it.
03:43Just bobbles.
03:43Just as he goes to hit it.
03:45Goes high into the net.
03:46Another yard or two that would have been over.
03:48But he celebrates.
03:49Very relieved.
03:50But it was Linker, the number four.
03:52Tried to nip in front of Illy.
03:54And didn't make contact.
03:55Didn't make the intersection.
03:56And that released it.
03:57Good ball across the face of the goal by Ely, though.
03:59That set it up.
04:00Well, what a start.
04:02Well, that was not expected.
04:04Certainly not on the German agenda.
04:06Moldovan, briefly of Coventry City.
04:07I think he only made about seven premiership appearances.
04:10But he's put his name up here today in the first five minutes.
04:18Marcus Babel.
04:19I don't know what happened on the right flank of the German defence.
04:24With Christian Ziegler.
04:25Oh, what a place to give the ball away by the Middlesbrough man.
04:28They've got three up here, Romania.
04:31Haji's looking up.
04:32This is Illy.
04:33Moldovan's unmarked again for a post.
04:36Could have been two.
04:39There should have been two.
04:40I mean, they had so many chances to actually get it into it.
04:45Could have gone in early.
04:47Haji then decided to run with it.
04:48Look, there's three Germans in a line.
04:50Nobody's picking him up at the back post.
04:52He's hung up there.
04:53If he just gets above and nods it down,
04:56I mean, there was no conviction there as far as I'm concerned.
04:58He should have got a second goal there.
05:00That giveaway initially was by Christian Ziegler,
05:02who tried to carry the ball forward and was dispossessed
05:05and left the defence seriously under man.
05:11Illy.
05:12Good play.
05:13Galka.
05:14Oh, they're really knocking it about Romania.
05:16Dan Petrescu's made a run down the right-hand side.
05:19He's going to get in behind them here.
05:20Chucks again for Romania.
05:21And Oliver Kahn, they're appealing.
05:23Or Petrescu is that he handled the ball outside his area.
05:26I don't think he did.
05:27But he rescued Germany, the goalkeeper,
05:30because Romania were through again.
05:33That was a wonderful move.
05:34Great switch of play.
05:36Haji then clipped it through.
05:37Just ran on enough.
05:43Beerhoff comes forward.
05:44So does Linker.
05:45Beerhoff!
05:46Oh, and hooked away by Popescu in the end.
05:49But wait, here's Matthias.
05:51And he's out of position again.
05:53Look at this.
05:53Illy.
05:54One against one.
05:58Well, we just saw two little opportunities.
06:00The Hesler shot.
06:01It was blocked.
06:02And then, look at this.
06:03Typical corner.
06:04Beerhoff.
06:04I think he should score.
06:05Look, he's leaped superbly.
06:07Good one-handed save.
06:09But it's Novotny who's on to the attack now.
06:11With Viga further down.
06:12Hesler.
06:15Scholl.
06:18Rink.
06:23Seems to want it on his left foot, doesn't he?
06:29This is Linker.
06:34Babble.
06:39Oh, Babble.
06:40It's good play.
06:41Rink.
06:42Now Scholl.
06:43Mehmet Scholl!
06:45The goalkeeper never moved.
06:48He must have been unsighted by a defender, Stelera.
06:52Mehmet Scholl has equalised.
06:55After 27 minutes.
07:00And even he must have been surprised to see that fly in the way it did.
07:04The Germans are suddenly off the hook.
07:07Good play on the right between Babble and Linker.
07:10Babble played the ball into Rink.
07:14Then it went to Scholl.
07:15Well, I think that defender at number six, Pepescu, must have unsighted the goalkeeper.
07:20That was a good strike.
07:21He just hit it with the outside of his foot going away.
07:24And certainly it didn't go for us to lay up.
07:26But it was a good strike.
07:27Look, just dip in.
07:29Thinks he's not going to get to it.
07:31So it looks worse then because he doesn't try.
07:33But it was a good strike with his left foot.
07:35He said you just can't right the Germans off.
07:37Somehow or other they have got level.
07:39I mean, it's a good build-up, patient build-up.
07:42Scholl, who I can't even remember having a kick up until then, has suddenly got a left footer.
07:46And they're buoyant.
07:47This is what makes football the game it is.
07:49Hessler.
07:51Oh, and Rink.
07:57Now.
08:00Well, I'm pretty certain.
08:02That's Eric Ribeck there.
08:03Look, the coach with Horst-Rubes.
08:05They've got a bit of a bonus there, haven't they?
08:08And the goalkeeper's still trying to explain it.
08:12So Hessler.
08:14Germans with players to spare on the left again here.
08:16This is Scholl.
08:17And Dan Petrescu has got no cover in front of him.
08:22Back into Jeremis.
08:25That's a decent strike by Jens Jeremis from Bayern Munich.
08:31Shows you the descent in the German camp.
08:33He was actually suspended for one of the friendlies before this tournament by the coach
08:37for criticising the way the team was being run.
08:42I wonder what left to say after this first half.
08:48Paget.
08:50Oh, what another good boy.
08:51He's onside.
08:52Illy for Romania.
08:53Oh, it's gone down.
08:55Looks at the referee.
08:56Kim Nielsen says, get up.
08:58No penalty.
08:59It was Novotny in the challenge on Illy.
09:03What about space again?
09:05Novotny on the far side was playing them on.
09:07Clipped just a basic ball over the top.
09:10Shaped to shoot.
09:11Came inside it.
09:12I'm not sure if Novotny didn't take his standing foot away.
09:14That's what Illy was looking for.
09:15But I think he could have still kept on his feet and put the ball in the back of the
09:18net.
09:19I entirely agree.
09:20I think he should have done better with the chance before he went down.
09:22Here's Ziga.
09:23And it's away partially by Popescu.
09:29Well, Kim Nielsen, if you remember, Trevor, wasn't supposed to...
09:32Oh, there's a yellow card coming out.
09:34Illy is going to be...
09:35Oh, Haji booked, is it?
09:36Yes, and Illy.
09:38Out of your picture as you watch the replay.
09:40Two yellow cards.
09:42Illy and Haji have been cautioned for protesting to the referee, Kim Nielsen.
09:47The man who showed a red card to David Beckham two years ago and awarded two penalties and turned one
09:55down in that England-Argentina game.
09:57Here's Rink.
09:58Hessler.
09:58Chance for Germany.
10:00Oh, Bierhoff couldn't get there and it was a good clearance by Phil Lepescu off the line.
10:06He was on the line and there was young Chibu then who came in and took it off the toes
10:10of Bierhoff.
10:11I mean, yeah, great little run by Hessler across the face of the goal.
10:15I thought he might shoot and it looks like Bierhoff was going to get a tap in and the youngster
10:19just came in and took it off his toe.
10:21I mean, it just chances flowing, isn't it, throughout the game.
10:24Now, remember, Haji was sent off against Arsenal in the UEFA Cup final.
10:27He's now treading a narrow line again, having been yellow carded for descent.
10:32The same applies to Illy.
10:33They were protesting about the non-award of a...
10:37Hadn't been a flow, hadn't it been yellow carded, I think he would have shown it.
10:40There's a lot going on out there now and Haji was a bit fortunate.
10:45This is Pupescu.
10:47That's a good drive by the former Tottenham player.
10:59There's about ten seconds of added time left and I'm going to watch the referee when they come off the
11:03pitch here quite closely
11:04because I've got a feeling one or two arguments may continue when the whistle blows as they did last night
11:09between Kalina and Kluivert.
11:15Well, he's just about to blow.
11:17It's 1-1 at half-time.
11:18Romania by far the better side.
11:20Germany all over the place.
11:22But Haji, in fact, is going off with a smile.
11:24And only Bierhoff goes to speak to the referee.
11:28And the Germans have a lot of talking to do among themselves, I would say.
11:33Romania, Moldovan had a goal but he should have had more.
11:36And so should his team.
11:37The conversation ends between Bierhoff and Kim Milton Nielsen.
11:41The half-time score in Liège is Germany 1, Romania 1.
11:45In a competition that was poor was against Bulgaria.
11:48I haven't forgotten that in the last World Cup Croatia beat them 3-0.
11:51And I think, to be honest, that night in Lyon, the German decline really dates from then.
11:56The other point I want to make is about the referee, Kim Milton Nielsen.
11:59Having seen that incident again on Ili, that was a definite penalty.
12:03And one goes back to Saint-Etienne and the handball by the Argentine defender that's history now,
12:07but the referee didn't give it.
12:09So there's a lot of attention on him at the moment, I would think, from the UEFA observers.
12:13Here we are in the second half.
12:15And this is Petrescu, but the free-kick's already been given for a foul on Haji.
12:19By Mateus, who's right in the centre of midfield there.
12:23You know, he's certainly not going to go back as a sweeper, anyway.
12:26Well, let's see what Romania can do.
12:29Here's Haji with the through ball.
12:31It's headed away by Raymond.
12:36And the referee, in fact, has pulled the play back.
12:40And he did, as I say, hand out yellow cards to Ili and Haji after that protest,
12:45following the penalty appeal.
12:46But you can understand their annoyance.
12:50He's been criticising of Mateus for his role, but I think Hessler's done well.
12:54He was out in the Woodmouth for a couple of years and just came back in the recent friendly.
12:58I think he's done well today.
12:59Bierhoff!
13:00Oh, he should have scored.
13:03Got in front of his marker, who was Petrescu, Oliver Bierhoff.
13:08That was a good run, though.
13:09Got in front, as you say.
13:11I think it hits the outside of the post.
13:12It's the layer who's beaten.
13:14Heads it down.
13:15Got no chance.
13:17Just come off the foot of the post.
13:19Good header.
13:19That was him at his best.
13:49This is Galka.
13:53No wonder he's looking like that.
13:55That was a golden opportunity.
13:57Jeremy is the magnificent there.
13:5960, 70-yard run.
14:00Released it on the run.
14:01Right.
14:01Then he's in the penalty area.
14:02But look who comes late.
14:03Zega, free header.
14:05Shryas to head it down.
14:06Not sure he got it with his forehead.
14:08It's probably come off his nose with no tower.
14:11That was a good chance.
14:14Christian Zega has put the ball down very deliberately.
14:18And two Germans have joined the end of the Romanian wall.
14:28And that's Zega.
14:30Oh.
14:33A good strike.
14:34Not a tap.
14:36Still galloping across to the left there.
14:40What do you got there?
14:41I don't think he was pretty.
14:42That was going wide.
14:49Zega has scored the Germans' first goal in Euro 96 at Old Trafford against the Cechs.
14:58And the long ball for Ili.
14:59Can he get in here for Romania?
15:01Oh, and Karl hasn't made it.
15:02Moldovan, surely.
15:04Off the line.
15:04Moldovan, he's missed it.
15:07Oh, what a comedy of Eris.
15:09And away goes a great chance for Romania.
15:12And what a let-off for Oliver Kahn.
15:17Well, Haji actually started that move.
15:19It was Montiano who passed it through to Ili.
15:21Kahn comes out, goes with his foot, doesn't make it.
15:24And here, Moldovan's first effort is cleared by the defender, and he puts the second one wide.
15:39Here's Harman.
15:44Oh, it'll flip by Rink, offside.
15:46And Bierhoff, won't count.
15:47Flag.
15:50It was close.
15:51Filippescu was the furthest one back.
15:54He's done the far side.
15:57Could only have been marginally off.
16:00Oh, the ball is played.
16:01Oh, I think it's in the midfield or central defender.
16:10Germany have possession with Dijsler.
16:13Now then, it's Scholl taking on Galka.
16:15Oh, and Bierhoff goes down in the middle of a sandwich.
16:19Looks at the referee for a possible penalty and doesn't get it.
16:22So they've each had one waved away now.
16:25Bierhoff is shouting at the referee as he runs back.
16:29Play has gone on meantime.
16:34And it's Galka that gets Romania moving, but that's a poor pass by Kivu.
16:39Reima for Germany.
16:43Jeremies to Ziga.
16:45Have the Germans still got the...
16:50Power of recovery that was once their trademark,
16:53the late goal that saved them on so many occasions,
16:56or indeed won games for them,
16:58on numerous internationals.
17:01Here's Rink.
17:03It's Ziga.
17:09Dijsler.
17:10That's harmless, and I think Bierhoff is still going to continue his argument
17:14with Kim Milton Nielsen.
17:20Contra up.
17:22Mutu making a run to the right.
17:24Contra again.
17:27The challenge was by Ziga.
17:33It's a point apiece for two of England's group opponents.
17:38Germany salvaging something from a wretched first half.
17:43And a day when Oliver Kahn can consider himself fortunate only to have been beaten once.
17:49Romania will perhaps look back on a lost opportunity,
17:53or maybe on a point that before the game they might have even settled for.
17:56There's two ways of looking at it from their point of view.
17:58But a game that certainly was full of incident and totally unpredictable in the first half
18:06became a little more predictable in the second when there weren't so many chances.
18:12The final score in Liège, in England's group, Germany won, Romania won,
18:20and the farewell perhaps of Matthias, we shall see.
18:25The final score in wenigstries.