Silviu Lung Sr., 69 years old, one of the great goalkeepers in the history of Romanian football, with 76 appearances in the national team's goal, is convinced that Mircea Lucescu's national team can produce a surprise against Turkey, in “the “barrage” of all or nothing since the spring. What is the former great goalkeeper based on?
- Romania will play in the semi-final of the “barrage” for WC 2026 with Turkey, away. In the event of a victory, the “tricolors” will meet either Slovakia or Kosovo, also on foreign soil. The play-off semi-final will take place on March 26, 2026. The final is scheduled for March 31.
Rather unlucky in the draw in Zurich, the national team will have to go through “hell” in Turkey to get one step closer to next year's World Championship. Among the most uncomfortable possible opponents, the Turks are going through a favorable moment at the national level, which managed to reach the quarter-finals of last year's European Championship.
Even if the “tricolors” are rated with a second chance for the duel on March 26, Silviu Lung sends a mobilizing message ahead of the clash with Montella's team. In a dialogue held on Thursday evening with GSP. ro, the legend of Craiova Maxima, starter against the Turks in the famous campaign for the WC 1986, also with Lucescu on the bench, approached the duel with Turkey from several angles.
Silviu Lung Sr.: “Their championship is above ours, but we can eliminate Turkey!”
“There were four value-balanced teams (no in the first urn)… A lot of people wanted Ukraine because they weren't playing on home soil and we had a moral superiority over them.
But at the end of the day, if you want to qualify for a final tournament, whether it's Italy, Denmark, Turkey, you have to prove it! I trust Mircea, who knows Turkish football very well.
I hope that all the players will be fit at the “barrage” time. I hope most of them are starters, because there was a problem here. I see that Man is on a comeback, I like Mihăilă, Bîrligea started scoring goals, there will also be the return of Drăgușin, we have Rațiu, we have Ianis, Dragomir, Stanciu is also coming back.
I think we have a lot of players in strong championships and the most important thing will be the form of the players near the game. If they play for the club teams, they will definitely be in good shape”, pointed out the former great goalkeeper of the national team, in dialogue with GSP.ro.
Silviu Long
Lung admits that the Romanian Superliga is below the level of the championship in Turkey, but refuses to consider the “tricolors” as safe victims in front of Arda Guler&Co:
“A lot of money has been invested in football in Turkey, and at the present time their championship is above ours, without question. We have to see the reality. That doesn't mean we can't eliminate them. Indeed, they have some exceptional players, like Guler, like Çalhanoğlu, but, from my point of view, I think we can show a good game and that we have our chances”.
Silviu Lung, starter in both matches against Turkey since 1985
Also with “Il Luce” on the bench, the “tricolors” met Turkey in the preliminaries for the WC 1986. Romania prevailed round and round in front of “Semiluna”, 3-0 in Craiova and 3-1 in Izmir, games in which Silviu Lung was between the goals.
The national team missed qualifying for the Mexican World Cup in 1986, in one of the unfortunate chapters of Mircea Lucescu's career. Romania finished third in the group, even though it had a chance to qualify before the last stage. Where the English and the Northern Irish drew in London, the 3-1 success in Izmir counted only for statistics.
We won 3-1 in Izmir when it was that tie between England and Northern Ireland. Okay, we shouldn't have gotten into that situation. They needed an even match, they didn't even reach each other's goal. It was a tacit understanding, but it was something shameful! Before, we also defeated the Turks in Craiova.
– Silviu Lung Sr., for GSP.ro
April 3, 1985, preliminaries, Romania – Turkey 3-0 (3-0) (21 Hagi, 28, 42 Cămătaru), stadium: Central, Craiova, 30,000 spectators, referee: Ben-Itzhak (Israel)
Romania: Silviu Lung – Nicolae Negrilă, Gino Iorgulescu, Costică Ştefănescu-capt., Nicolae Ungureanu – Mircea Rednic, Mircea Irimescu, Dorin Mateuţ (58 Marius Lăcătuş), Gheorghe Hagi – Marcel Coraş (71 Ilie Balaci), Rodion Cămătaru.
Coach: Mircea Lucescu
November 13, 1985, preliminaries, Turkey – Romania 1-3 (0-2) (78 Metin / 15 Iorgulescu, 28 Coraş, 54 Iovan)
Romania: Silviu Lung – Ştefan Iovan, Gino Iorgulescu, Costică Ştefănescu-capt., Ilie Bărbulescu – Mircea Rednic, Ladislau Boloni, Michael Klein, Gheorghe Hagi – Marcel Coraş (83 Ion Geolgău), Victor Piţurcă (64 Rodion Cămătaru).
Coach: Mircea Lucescu.
stadium: Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Izmir, 30,000 spectators, referee: Roth (FRG)
