FRANCE 98 – MatchQuotes

Glenn HODDLE, ENGLAND coach:

“After coming back into the game, we are disappointed to lose at the end. But we gave away two sloppy goals and it cost us. At the end of the day, it was a stalemate situation, like a chess game. One of the positive points was Mike OWEN’s entry into the game and scoring. At 1 – 0 down, and when you’re a substitute, you have nothing to lose. I gave him a free run and told him to go out and enjoy himself. The ROMANIA team had a very good side, but we didn’t create ourselves a chance and gave away two sloppy goals. David SEAMAN didn’t make much of a save. We kept them at bay, but we had sloppy defending. We should have punished them, but they punished us, and we were disappointed. The next game will be decisive against COLOMBIA who also has three points. It was a good win for them; they knew what to do. If we win or draw the next game, then we qualify. The boys are disappointed about how we gave two goals away, but not with the way we played. If we play like that again, we’ll win more games than we’ll lose.”

Anghel IORDANESCU, ROMANIA coach:

“Indeed we did win against ENGLAND in the past, but tonight’s victory is more valuable and will make many people happy in ROMANIA. I believe this victory is well deserved: it’s the outcome of tremendous effort, it comes from the bottom of their hearts and souls and it also represents a lot of hard work on the part of my team. This game was fascinating, particularly the second half. ENGLAND dominated in the first half, which raised the standard of the game. ROMANIA are now at the top of the group and are sure to qualify. The second half was a really wonderful show, ROMANIA scored an extra goal due to tactics and intelligence. The team went through a lot of agony and ecstasy during the match. I would like once again to congratulate the team and our boys for the way they played. Everyone is sure to be very happy tonight in ROMANIA.”

Dorinel MUNTEANU (8):

“It was a great victory, we did everything possible to win tonight. We think that we’ve qualified, and that we will be at the top of this group. We were all thinking about what is happening in ROMANIA, with the floods. People are in the streets and they were able to see our victory on the television. We played for them.”

Liviu CIBOTARIU (13):

“We defended well, but let in a stupid goal. I’m very happy with our victory. We are going to keep training in the same way so that we can play the same game in the future. Our objective is to come out on top of the group, and to go as far as we can in the competition. Whoever our opponent is, I am sure that we’ll go through to the quarter finals.

Viorel MOLDOVAN (9):

“We played well. Its no surprise because we have a really great team. We are not outsiders. We showed how good we are and that we deserve to be the seeded team.”

Dan PETRESCU (2):

“We were sure that we’d go far and that we would win tonight. After this match, we really can go far, in spite of what the Romanian press says about us. The CROATIA team (Group H) does worry us a little for the last 16; as for ARGENTINA, we have already beaten them in a World Cup. I think that our team is stronger than it was in 1994. The second goal, which I scored, came at a very important time in the game, when both teams were very tired.”

Constantin GALCA (5):

“I am very happy with this victory, which opens the doors for us to the last 16. I hope that we get to play CROATIA (Group H), and that we’ll go to the top.”