“I don't know what we have to do to get people to come”

The Romanian women's national team started the preliminaries for the 2027 World Championship right away. The “Tricolores” prevailed in the first of the 4 matches they will play in group C5.

VIDEO: Massimo Pedrazzini, after Romania – Moldova 1-0

“We relied on speed, we tried not to take risks. Obviously in the first half, when we had few chances, the game didn't go the way we wanted.

We tried to give a different idea, to attack the defense line much higher and in the second half we had many opportunities and we are happy to start the road with a win.

It was difficult, it was an unexpected game, because they came here with a very dense defense. We prepared the game in this sense, but the point is that in the first half we missed many passes, many situations when we had to be a little calmer, more in control of the game. Then it went very well. Now we are thinking about Cyprus”, said Pedrazzini, about the mixed area.

Pedrazzini: “The only improvement we need to make is to have more games standing”

“Cyprus are a pretty strong team from a physical point of view. We are going there to fight. I am convinced that if we play with a lot of focus and concentration, like in the second half today, we will do a good job.

A team that has quite good individuals, they have good physicality. It will be an even game, we fight there. We have our chances and our quality, we have to prove it in this upcoming match.

The only improvement we need to make is to have more games on our feet. We take into account how we presented ourselves here, apart from those who come from abroad, most of the players from the country have played only one match in the championship.

We trained well, but we also trained on synthetic, we didn't have any training on grass because of the weather conditions”, said Massimo Pedrazzini at the end of the match, in the mixed area.

Massimo Pedrazzini, Romanian national women's football coach/ photo: Cristi Preda (GSP)

Massimo Pedrazzini, appeal to supporters: “I don't know what we have to do”

“We were expecting a lot of supporters for this match as well. I don't know what we have to do to get people to come to see the match, because it was a vigorous, beautiful match, played with good intensity. And these girls need supporters. To come to see women's football, because Romania is playing, it's the national team. These girls also did some superb game phases, just like the boys.

Hope is, wish is, but after that the reality is something else. Together with the girls, we must try, step by step. If we succeed, it's very good”, concluded the selector.

• Now, Romania still has two matches to play against Cyprus and the return match against the Republic of Moldova. The C League group is only the first step on the way to the World Cup. The Tricolore must finish first to go to the next stage, which involves a play-off with a team in 2nd or 3rd place in a League A group.