National Team Friendly

National Stadium
Spectators: 10300 (Terracing: 7725, Seating: 2369, VIP seats: 206) Gheorghe Craioveanu started the match with the kick off in front of an excited audience. Irinel Balotă kicked well hit freekick during the 7th minute of the match. After having played for 9 minutes, Vladko Pipkov managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. U21 Bulgaria's supporters crossed their fingers, but Vladko Pipkov was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Vanko Katzarski might have been able to make a better finish in the 12th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Jo Ares. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Vanko Katzarski ran back to his position shaking his head. U21 Bulgaria's Stoimen Neshov quite brazenly broke a throw-in by Codrin Buta, made in the 15th minute of the game. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Vladko Pipkov in the 15th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Jo Ares saved U21 Romania from getting behind. After 17 played minutes U21 Romania got a freekick which was hit by Codruț Bârsan. After having played for 19 minutes, Bozhko Shtúrkelov managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. U21 Bulgaria's supporters crossed their fingers, but Bozhko Shtúrkelov was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Petre Petrean hit a great freekick 20 minutes into the match. Jo Ares took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Vladko Pipkov, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. In the 23rd minute Gheorghe Craioveanu shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Stoyadin Shahov saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. In the 29th minute U21 Romania were awarded a corner. Codruț Bârsan went to the cornerflag to take it. The corner led U21 Romania's Codruț Bârsan to fire away a dangerous shot which Stoyadin Shahov despite some difficulties managed to get hold on the ball. If Gheorghe Craioveanu had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 31st minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. Stoyadin Shahov made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Gheorghe Craioveanu in the 37th minute of play. U21 Romania's Jo Ares proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 39th minute of the match, managed to save U21 Romania from getting a goal against them. 40 minutes into the match, U21 Romania's goal looked a bit too open when Vladko Pipkov came free, but Jo Ares reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. U21 Romania's defense didn't have a chance, in the 41st minute, when Vladko Pipkov scored to the left of an out of position Jo Ares, making the score, 1-0. When the referee blew for the end of the half the home team players were clearly happier, as they went in to the break leading 1-0.

The wind increased when Vladko Pipkov made the kick off in the second half. After some fancy dribbling in the 53rd minute, Vladko Pipkov managed to get in a good position for a shot. U21 Bulgaria's supporters rose to their feet, but Vladko Pipkov was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Jo Ares breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Cristinel Nicodim charged in rather forcefully in the 55th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Cristinel Nicodim the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. After 55 played minutes U21 Romania got a freekick which was hit by Cristinel Nicodim. In the 58th minute of the game Bozhko Shtúrkelov made a throw-in which Vladko Pipkov played forward. U21 Romania's Gheorghe Craioveanu got a good chance for a goal in the 59th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. The audience was convinced that Vladko Pipkov's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Jo Ares was relentless in the 61st minute of the game. In the 63rd minute the ball was on its way in behind U21 Bulgaria's goalkeeper Stoyadin Shahov, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. U21 Romania's Jo Ares played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by David Beckham in the 65th minute of play. After having played for 69 minutes, Gheorghe Craioveanu managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. U21 Romania's supporters crossed their fingers, but Gheorghe Craioveanu was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. U21 Bulgaria's Velcho Tzintzov was substituted for Vladko Pipkov. After 73 minutes of play, the referee blew the whistle. It was a penalty for U21 Romania! When Cristinel Nicodim was, once again, overly rough in his play he received his second yellow card and was ordered off the ground. 77 minutes had been played. In the 77th match minute, U21 Romania was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Cristinel Nicodim to maneuver through the defense. 81 minutes into the match, U21 Bulgaria's Velcho Tzintzov sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Jo Ares narrowly saved just below the crossbar. The supporters of U21 Romania booed when U21 Bulgaria was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 88 match minutes in a wonderful position. Bozhko Shtúrkelov didn't get a good kick on the ball. Velcho Tzintzov recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 94th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Velcho Tzintzov blasted a shot towards the goal in the 95th minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Jo Ares having to make a save. 98 minutes into the match, Velcho Tzintzov had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Jo Ares. U21 Romania's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Velcho Tzintzov was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 2-0. U21 Bulgaria's fans were exulted and cheered after their team won in a match that could easily have gone the other way.