The Romanian women’s national football team faced a heartbreaking defeat against Poland, losing 1-2 in the first leg of the playoff for the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025. Despite taking an early lead, Romania was unable to maintain their advantage, ultimately succumbing to a late penalty.
Key Takeaways
- Romania led 1-0 until the 73rd minute.
- A missed penalty by Florentina Olar proved costly.
- Poland scored two late goals to secure the win.
- The return leg will take place on October 29 in Poland.
Match Overview
The match took place at the iconic Arcul de Triumf stadium in Bucharest, where approximately 3,000 fans gathered to support the home team. Romania started strong, with Ioana Bălăceanu scoring the opening goal in the 18th minute after capitalizing on a defensive error by Poland.
However, the tide turned in the second half. Romania was awarded a penalty in the 51st minute when Cristina Carp was fouled in the box. Unfortunately, captain Florentina Olar’s attempt was saved by Polish goalkeeper Kinga Szemik, a pivotal moment that shifted the momentum.
Poland’s Comeback
Poland equalized in the 73rd minute through Natalia Padilla, who executed a well-placed shot from inside the box. The match took a dramatic turn in the 88th minute when Maria Ficzay fouled Ewa Pajor in the penalty area, resulting in a red card for Ficzay and a penalty for Poland.
Pajor, the captain of the Polish team, converted the penalty in the 89th minute, sealing the victory for her side. This late surge highlighted Poland’s resilience and ability to capitalize on Romania’s mistakes.
Looking Ahead
The defeat leaves Romania with a challenging task ahead in the return leg scheduled for October 29 in Gdansk. The team will need to regroup and strategize effectively to overturn the deficit and secure a spot in the next round of the playoffs.
The stakes are high, as the winner of this playoff will face either Slovenia or Austria in the next round, with a chance to qualify for the final tournament in Switzerland next summer.
Conclusion
Despite the loss, Romania’s performance in the earlier qualifying rounds, where they secured maximum points, shows their potential. The team will need to harness that strength and determination in the upcoming match to keep their Euro 2025 dreams alive.
Sources
- Video | România F – Polonia F 1-2. ”Tricolorele”, întoarse pe final de joc, pe Arcul de Triumf, Digi Sport.
- România – Polonia 1-2 » Cu 3.000 de oameni pe Arcul de Triumf, „tricolorele” au fost întoarse în calificările la Euro 2025, GSP.
- Fotbal feminin: România a primit un penalty în minutul 55, când o conducea pe Polonia cu 1-0. Ceea ce a urmat e incredibil, Ziare.com.
- România pierde meciul cu Polonia, după ce a ratat un penalty şi a terminat meciul în 10, Mediafax.
- România a pierdut in extremis meciul de pe teren propriu cu Polonia, scor 1-2, în barajul pentru WEURO 2025 la fotbal feminin, G4Media.ro.
