Article by Cosmin Nistor – Published Sunday, November 16, 2025, 00:37 / Updated Sunday, November 16, 2025 00:40
Romania suffered a painful defeat in Zenica, 1-3, after entering the locker room with an advantage. The “Tricolori” lose any chance for the 2nd place in the group for the 2026 World Cup and will go to the playoffs, from the position of the winner of the League of Nations, but from the 4th urn, on a complicated route.
Romania's only scorer, Daniel Bîrligea (25 years old), analyzed what happened.
Daniel Bîrligea: “A sad evening. The second half was very weak”
The forward admitted the team inexplicably collapsed after the break:
“A sad evening… We wanted a different version of the game. We are disappointed. The second half was very bad.
Basically, it was only half a game for us.”
Bîrligea emphasized the fact that Romania had to close the match from the first half:
“The first half was very good, exceptional. We had to score the second goal, maybe even the third. The doors were open for that.
In the second half they entered with a different attitude, we relaxed. They scored very quickly and changed the balance of the game. That's where everything broke.”
Bîrligea revealed the instructions of the selector Mircea Lucescu
The scorer of the only goal of the “tricolors” revealed what the selector Mircea Lucescu told them at the break of the match:
“He told us to continue what we did in the first half, to try to play further forward. It's just that we didn't go in with the same attitude.”
Even though he scored superbly, the striker says that the success does not bring him joy:
“I really wanted to score, but more than that I wanted to win. The goal doesn't help me much now.
We are disappointed and hope for better days to come.”
Bîrligea also spoke about Gigi Becali's recent statements: “The boss can say what he wants”
The striker was also asked about the recent criticism of the FCSB boss:
“The boss can say what he wants. At the moment we are with the national team and I only want to talk about what is here.”
Even after the painful defeat, Bîrligea remains optimistic:
“We have the chance of the dam. We believe in her very much. We will prepare and fight for the dam.”
