Romania beats Luxembourg 3-1 in Euro qualifier

By foxsports
Published

Adrian Mutu scored twice Tuesday as Romania came from behind to beat Luxembourg 3-1 in a qualifier for the 2012 European Championship between the two last-place teams in Group D.

Lars Gerson gave Luxembourg the lead with a shot from 10 meters out in the 21st minute, causing thousands of Romanian fans in the northeastern city of Piatra Neamt where the match was played to yell ''Resign, Resign'' to coach Razvan Lucescu.

They fell silent two minutes later, Mutu shooting beyond goalkeeper Jonathan Joubert from a similar distance following a raking 40-meter pass from Gabriel Muresan.

Mutu put the hosts ahead in the 67th minute with a header from Gabriel Torje's cross, and Ianis Zicu wrapped up the win in the 77th from Ciprian Marica's pass after a corner.

Romania stayed next-to-last in the group but improved to 5 points, seven behind leader France. Luxembourg has 1 point.

Mutu had a chance to score a hat trick in the 74th minute but shot over the crossbar, and he was replaced to a standing ovation 10 minutes later.

Praising Mutu's ''highly motivated'' attitude, Lucescu called him ''one of the great talents of Romanian football,'' in comments after the match.

He is mature and has little time left to play football and has the responsibility to leave football in a dignified manner,'' said Lucescu, who has had a tense relationship with 32-year-old Mutu in the past.

Mutu has had a troubled past, having been ordered to pay former club Chelsea more than ?17 million ($22 million) in compensation in a lengthy legal case stemming from a positive doping test for cocaine.

In October, he attacked a barman little more than a week before his return from a separate nine-month doping ban.

---

Lineups:

Romania: Ciprian Tatarusanu, Cristian Sapunaru, Florin Gardos, Razvan Rat, Gabriel Tamas (Dorin Goian, 65), Gabriel Muresan, Adrian Ropotan, Ianis Zicu, Ciprian Marica, Adrian Mutu (Marius Alexe, 85), Bogdan Stancu (Gabriel Torje, 45).

Luxembourg: Jonathan Joubert, Guy Blaise, Eric Hoffmann, Tom Schnell (Massimo Martino, 90th), Gilles Bettmer (Tom Laterza, 81), Lars Gerson (Daniel Da Mota, 59), Charles Leweck, Mario Mutsch, Ben Payal, Rene Peters, Aurelien Joachim.