Emil Săndoi, after Turkey – Romania: “There were some players who were outclassed. I expected more from them”
Article by Robert Vîrdol – Published Friday, March 27, 2026 7:06 p.m. / Updated Friday, March 27, 2026 7:06 p.m.
Emil Săndoi (61 years old), former Romanian international, commented on the result of the match Turkey – Romaniaended with the score of 1-0 for the “janissaries”. The “Tricolori” missed the chance to go to the World Cup with this failure.
The Romanian national team will not participate in the World Cup in 2026 either. After the result with Turkey, Mircea Lucescu's students will play a friendly against the loser of the duel Slovakia – Kosovo.
Emil Săndoi: “Rațiu could do more”
During the dialogue with Gazeta Sporturilor, Emil Săndoi, the former U21 national team coach, explained what the “tricolori” should have done when the goal was conceded. He was also not that impressed with the game played by Turkey.
Emil Sandoi
“Tactically, we were OK for a while, they didn't have chances either, but we couldn't finish it. A fatal mistake changed everything, it is inadmissible there, a pass of 40 or so meters, it should have been anticipated. Automatically someone had to collect. Man went down a lot to help Rațiu, he went down almost at all stages. Man had no offensive achievements, but he helped Rațiu a lot.
Rațiu did not anticipate, and Arda's pass was good, he entered well from the second line, the problems were on our right side. It's a big mistake. There were players who were tactically superior, as if we expected more from them. Turkey, with players worth millions of euros, did not create so many reactions. We had that great opportunity of Stanciu, where the difference could be made.
It was a pity for what happened, I conceded the goal very easily, there only from a wrong positioning everything went wrong. The game waits for the mistake, and a mistake from this is charged, it is a serious mistake. At a quick combination we understood to lose the opponent, but otherwise not. Ratiu must collect earlier.
No one can judge Mircea Lucescu, as if he didn't even have a chance in any matchin this football you also have to be lucky. We struggled, but we didn't have big achievements, they waited for the mistake and then they missed a chance”, said Emil Săndoi.
