November 15, 1989-Romania 3-Denmark 1

November 15, 1989

Romania 3-Denmark 1

World Cup Qualifier-Group 1

Venue: Bucuresti, Ghencea Stadionul (Steaua)  

Attendance: 30,000

Referee: Tulio Lanese (Italy)

Goalscorers: (Romania): Gavril Pelé Balint 25th, 60th,

Ioan Ovidiu Sabau 37th

                    (Denmark): Flemming Søgaard Povlsen 6th

Lineups:

Romania:

1-Silviu Lung (Clubul Sportiv al Armatei Steaua- Bucuresti)  [61 / 0]

2-Dan Vasile Petrescu (Clubul Sportiv al Armatei Steaua- Bucuresti)  [5 / 0]

3-Ioan Andone (Clubul Sportiv Dinamo Bucuresti) [44 / 2]

4-Stefan Iovan (Clubul Sportiv al Armatei Steaua- Bucuresti)  [32 / 3]

5-Iosif Rotariu (Clubul Sportiv al Armatei Steaua- Bucuresti)  [10 / 0]

6-Gheorghe Popescu (Clubului Sportiv Universitatea Craiova) [12 / 1]

7-Marius Mihai Lacatus (Clubul Sportiv al Armatei Steaua- Bucuresti)  [31 / 4] (15-Dorin Mateut (Clubul Sportiv Dinamo Bucuresti)  [43 / 8] 76^th )

8-Ioan Ovidiu Sabau (Clubul Sportiv Dinamo Bucuresti) [17 / 5]

9-Gavril Pelé Balint (Clubul Sportiv al Armatei Steaua- Bucuresti) [19 / 4] (16-Nicolae Ungureanu (Clubul Sportiv al Armatei Steaua- Bucuresti) [56 / 1] 86^th)

10-Gheorghe Hagi (Clubul Sportiv al Armatei Steaua- Bucuresti)  [52 / 12]

11-Danut Lupu (Clubul Sportiv Dinamo Bucuresti) [2 / 0]

Coach: Emerich Jenei

Booked: Gheorge Hagi 5th, Rotariu 35th, Balint 56th

Sent-Off: Gheorge Hagi 61st

Team Captain: Silviu Lung

Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Adidas

Uniform Colors: Yellow Shirts, Blue Shorts, Red Socks

Photo From: Sport, November 1989

(The victorious Romanian squad, top, left to right: Silviu Lung, Gheorghe Popescu, Dan Vasile Petrescu, Danut Lupu, Gavril Pelé Balint,  Ioan Andone,   , Bottom, left to right: Gheorghe Hagi, Iosif Rotariu, Ioan Ovidiu Sabau, Marius Mihai Lacatus , Dorin Mateut)

Denmark:

1-Peter Boleslaw Schmeichel (Brøndby- Brøndbyøster Idrætsforening) [28 / 0]

2-John Sivebaek (Association Sportive de Saint-Etienne- Loire / France) [61 / 1] (15-Lars Dahl Elstrup (Luton Town Football Club / England)   [14 / 8] 73^rd )

3-Kent Nielsen (Aston Villa Football Club-Birmingham / England)   [32 / 3]

4-Lars Christian Olsen (Brøndby- Brøndbyøster Idrætsforening) [37 / 3]

5-Ivan Nielsen (Philips Sports Vereniging Eindhoven / Holland) [51 / 0]

6-Jan Lewis Bartram (Fußball Club Bayer 05 Uerdingen / West Germany) [24 / 4]

7-Søren Lerby (Philips Sports Vereniging Eindhoven / Holland) [67 / 10]

8-John ‘Faxe’ Jensen (Hamburger Sport Verein e.V.  / West Germany) [29 / 1]

9-Flemming Søgaard Povlsen (Philips Sports Vereniging Eindhoven / Holland) [30 / 12]

10-Michael Laudrup (Fútbol Club Barcelona / Spain) [58 / 23]

11-Brian Laudrup (Fußball Club Bayer 05 Uerdingen / West Germany) [17 / 4]

Coach: Josef "Sepp" Piontek (West Germany)

Booked: Søren Lerby 13^th, Ivan Nielsen 85th

Team Captain: Lars Christian Olsen

Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Hummel

Uniform Colors: Red Shirts, White Shorts , White Socks

Notes:

-Match number 383 for Romania and number 536 for Denmark.

-This was the 5th meeting between the nations.

-The previous match between the nations, as well as the previous match on Danish Soil and Denmark’s previous victory, was a World Cup Qualifier just a month before on October 11, 1989 at Copenhagen’s Idrætsparken that Denmark won 3 to 0.

Romania players: Lung, Iovan, Andone, Sabau, Lupu, Popescu, Rotariu, Mateut and Hagi and Denmark players: Schmeichel, Lars Olsen, Kent Nielsen, Ivan Nielsen, Bartram, Sivebaek, John Jensen, Michael Laudrup, Povlsen and Brian Laudrup were present that day (on the field and/or the substitutes bench).

Danut Lupu made his debut for Romania in that match.

Kent Nielsen, Brian Laudrup and Flemming Povlsen scored Denmark’s goals.

Povlsen scored in both these matches.

-The previous match between the nations and Romania’s previous victory, as well as the previous match at the same city was a Friendly on September 1, 1982 at Bucharest’s Stadionul 23 August that Romania won 1 to 0.

Romania players: Andone and Ungureanu and Denmark players: Ivan Nielsen and Sivebak were present that day (on the field and/or the substitutes bench).

Sepp Piontek still managed Denmark.

-The next match between the nations in the same city, as well as Denmark’s only away victory, would be the EC Qualifier match on March 29, 2003 at Bucharest’s Stadionul Cotroceni that Denmark won 5 to 2.

Gheorghe Popescu played his 115^th and final cap in that match.

-The next match between the nations and Romania’s next victory was a Friendly on November 18, 2014 at Bucharest’s National Arena that Romania won 2 to 0.

-The next match between the nations on Danish soil would be the EC Qualifier match on September 10, 2003 at Copenhagen’s Parken Stadion that ended in a 2 to 2 tie.

-Denmark and Romania played an unofficial match on February 19, 1996, as part of the King’s Cup Final in Bangkok, Thailand that Romania won 2 to 1.

Lars Olsen and Marius Lacatus took part in that match.

-Denmark considers many matches by the Olympic squad as full internationals in 1987. Two of these qualifiers were vs. Romania. For its part Romania does not consider these matches as full internationals.

On June 10, 1987, at Aalborg Stadion Denmark defeated Romania 8 to 0.

Denmark players: Schmeichel, Lars Olsen, Kent Nielsen, John Jensen and Flemming Povlsen were present that day (on the field and/or the substitutes bench).

Lars Olsen, Povlsen and John Jensen scored in that match.

On September 3, 1987, at Bacau’s Municipal Stadium, Denmark defeated Romania 2 to 1.

Romania players: Danut Lupu, Gavrila Balint, Iosif Rotariu and Gheorghe Popescu and Denmark players: Schmeichel, Lars Olsen, Kent Nielsen, John Jensen and Bartram were present that day (on the field and/or the substitutes bench).

Kent Nielsen and Lars Olsen scored in that match, as well as Gavril Balint.

Photo From: World Soccer, January 1990

(Michael Laudrup being tackled)

-The match was played with the backdrop of political events in Eastern Europe that brought an end to communism. The week before the match the Berlin wall fell.

A month after the match Romania was embroiled in fighting that brought down the Nicolae Ceaucesu Regime.

Nicolae Ceaucesu was executed on December 25, 1989.

His son Valentin was in the stands for this match.

-Denmark were missing Henrik Andersen, Per Frimann, John Helt, Kim Vilfort, Jan Heintze and John Larsen.

-Romania’s Mircea Rednic had been sent off in the previous match between the two nations on October 11^th, as a result he was suspended for this match.

Also missing for Romania was Ioan Lupescu, Michael Klein and Rodion Camataru.

-On September 5, 1989, Romania played a Friendly vs. Czechoslovakia at Nitra (0-2 loss). Denmark were not informed of this match as a result, they could not watch their opponents, before their first encounter at Copenhagen at October 11^th.

On September 11th, 1989, Danish officials accuse their Romanian counterparts of deception by not informing them of this match.

Photo From: World Soccer, March 1990

(Gheorge Popescu and Brian Laudrup, Lars Olsen is seen in the background)

-Gheorge Popescu was the only Romanian player that was neither from Steaua nor Dinamo Bucharest. He did spend a season at loan at Steaua (1987/88) and played for Dinamo Bucharest in 2002.

-In a bid to salvage qualification, Piontek had called up Soren Lerby after more than a year.

He had last played for Denmark on June 14, 1988 during the UEFA European Championship Finals vs. West Germany (0-2 loss).

Soren Lerby retired from the game at the end of that season.

-With Lerby in for the injured Jan Heintze, Denmark played in a 3-5-2 formation without a proper left back.

-The other teams in the qualification group were Greece and Bulgaria. Romania had to win to achieve qualification. Denmark’s win on October 11^th temporarily had placed them ahead.

-After the disaster of the 1988 Euros, Denmark seemed to have turned the corner in 1989 with many heavy wins:

May 17, 1989-Denmark 7-Greece 1 (EC Qualifier)

June 14, 1989-Denmark 6-Sweden 0

June 18, 1989-Denmark 4-Brazil 0

-Former Captain Morten Olsen officially retired from the game at the end of the previous season. Lars Olsen was now the official captain of Denmark.

Photo From: World Soccer, February1990

(Marius Lacatus)

-The Danish starting lineup was almost exactly the same as the October 11^th encounter, with the exception of Soren Lerby replacing clubmate Jan Heintze.

-On October 18^th and November 1^st, Steaua Bucharest were eliminated in the Champions Cup by Dutch club PSV Eindhoven that contained Danish players such as Lerby, Ivan Nielsen, Povlsen and Heintze.

-This match was played Steaua Bucharest’s home stadium. Seven of Romania’s starters, plus one of the substitutes were playing in their home stadium.

-In the sixth minute, Brian Laudrup dribbled past players on the left side and laid the ball across the 6-yard line for Povlsen to tap home.

-In the 25^th minute, Lupu sent a long pass across on the left side for Rotariu who crossed it in the box, where Lacatus headed it towards for Balint who scored despite the onrushing Schmeichel.

Photo From: France Football, Issue 2276, November 21, 1989

(Gavril Balint scoring Romania’s first goal)

-In the 37^th minute, Sabau sent a pass to Petrescu, who was blocked by Schmeichel.

Sabau pounced on the loose ball to score from edge of box.

-Minutes later, Iovan struck the post from a shot outside of the box.

-In the 60^th minute, Hagi sent a pass from the middle to Rotariu on the left who crossed to the right side of the box for Lacatus who immediately laid it on for Sabau who run with the ball into Schmeichel.

Balint pounced on another loose in the box to score the third goal, which ended all of Denmark’s hopes.

-A minute later, Gheorge Hagi was sent off after a second bookable offense.

- John Sivebaek was substituted in the 73^rd minute after being injured in a collision with Lupu.

-This was Romania’s First World Cup Qualification since 1970.

-After the match, the disappointed Piontek stated he might quit. However, the very next day, the Danish Federation extended his contract by another six years.

-Many felt that the roots of Denmark’s elimination were actually the home qualifier on November 2, 1988 vs. Bulgaria that ended in a one to one tie.

The inability to win a match at home potentially cost them the qualification.

-Danish notes from Politiken (from 5 to 10)

Schmeichel 7,5

Kent Nielsen 7,5

Lars Olsen 7

Ivan Nielsen 7

Sivebæk 7

John Jensen 6

Michael Laudrup 5,5

Bartram 6

Lerby 7

Brian Laudrup 7,5

Povlsen 6

(Elstrup -)

-John Jensen was critical of the macth referee, whom he accused of whistling for many free kicks for Hagi.

Photo From: World Soccer, October 1990

(Michael Laudrup)

-On February 2, 1990, Sepp Piontek quit his post as Denmark manager after newspaper speculations about his earnings, which questioned whether he had avoided paying taxes by hiding money abroad.

Piontek stated: “the newspapers are making me look like a tax dodger, I think it’s time to say goodbye”

He became the national team manager of Turkey.

His last match in charge of Denmark was a Friendly vs. his future employers Turkey on April 11, 1990 at Copenhagen (1-0 Denmark win).

                            

-As a result of his sending off, Gheorge Hagi was suspended from Romania’s first match during the World Cup, (June 9, 1990, Romania 2-USSR 0).

-Many regard this match as the beginning of Romania’s Golden Generation of the 1990s.

Lung, Andone, Rotariu, Popescu, Lacatus, Sabau, Hagi, Lupu, Mateut and Balint made the 1990 World Cup Finals squad.

Petrescu, Popescu and Hagi made the 1994 World cup squad as well.

-Similarly, many regard this as the end of Sepp Piontek’s ‘Danish Dynamite’ era.

The Danish commentator from Politiken, Rasmus Bech, wrote a critical article against Piontek choices, especially the inclusion of Søren Lerby.

The Title was "Flammen slukket" (the flame switched off), meaning that the Danish Dynamite has finished a long period of successes, which had started with the win vs. England in Wembley in 1983 (1-0).

-Denmark’s Schmeichel, Sivebaek, Kent Nielsen, Lars Olsen, John Jensen, Povlsen, Elstrup and Brian Laudrup were members of the 1992 UEFA European Championship winning squad.

-Denmark’s Peter Schmeichel and Lars Olsen had won the Danish League title in 1989 with Brøndby.

-This was Ivan Nieslen and Soren Lerby’s last match for Denmark. Both were booked in this match.

Similarly Nicolae Ungureanu played his last match for Romania.

-Brian Laudrup was voted as Denmark’s Player of the Year at the end of that year.

-Dinamo Bucharest’s Ioan Andone, Dorin Mateut, Ioan Ovidiu Sabau and Danut Lupu won the League title at the end of that season. They also reached the semifinals of the Cup Winners Cup.

-By the start of the following season, Romania’s Lung (Logrones), Rotariu (Galatasaray), Popescu (PSVG Eindhoven), Lacatus (Fiorentina), Mateut (Zaragoza), Sabau (Feyenoord), Balint (Burgos), Hagi (Real Madrid) and Lupu (Panathinaikos) had all transferred to foreign clubs following the Fall of Communism.

-Denmark’s Brian Laudrup and Flemming Povlsen joined Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund respectively, the following season.

-Both Michael Laudrup and Gheorge Hagi played for Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid in their careers. Laudrup was more successful as he won League titles with both.

Hagi joined Barcelona when Laudrup left in 1994.

Denmark’s Flemming Povlsen was also contracted to Real Madrid and their nursery squad Castilla in 1987.

Photo From: B.T., Sport

(Michael Laudrup leaving the field)

-Gheorge Hagi and Gheorge Popescu were teammates at Barcelona and Galatasaray in their career.

Iosif Rotariu also played at Galatasaray (1990/92) in his career.

-Flemming Povlsen joined PSV Eindhoven that season (1989/90) and joined his countrymen Soren Lerby, Ivan Nielsen and Jan Heintze.

Povlsen, Nielsen and Lerby left at the end of the season. Romania’s Gheorge Popescu joined PSV Eindhovcn at the end of the season.

-Gavril Balint managed the Moldovan national team (2010-2011).

-Romanian Manager Emerich Jenei had been appointed that season after guiding Steaua Bucharest to Champions Cup triumph.

He also managed the Hungarian National team (1992-93).

-Besides Hagi, other Romanian players who played in Spain were Mateut (Zaragoza), Balint (Burgos) and Lacatus (Oviedo).

-Romania’s Stefan Iovan, Gavril Pelé Balint and Marius Mihai Lacatus were members of the Steaua Bucharest squad that won the Champions Cup vs. Barcelona in Sevilla on May 7, 1986.

-Romania’s Silviu Lung, Dan Vasile Petrescu, Nicolae Ungureanu, Stefan Iovan, Gheorghe Hagi, Iosif Rotariu, Marius Mihai Lacatus and Gavril Pelé Balint were members of the Steaua Bucharest squad that lost the Champions Cup Final vs. AC Milan (0-4) in Barcelona on May 24, 1989.

They also won the Romanian league title in 1989.

-Denmark’s Soren Lerby and Ivan Nielsen were members of the PSV Eindhoven squad that won the Champions Cup vs. Benfica on May 25, 1988.

They also won the Dutch League title together in 1988 and 1989.

-Mateut, Sabau and Hagi were teammates at Italy’s Brescia (1992/93).

Danut Lupu played for Brescia (1994/95).

Marius Lacatus also played in the Serie A (Fiorentina, 1990/91).

Dan Petrescu joined Foggia in 1991 and Genoa in 1993.

-John Sivebaek (Pescara), Michael Laudrup (Juventus) and Brian Laudrup (Fiorentina, AC Milan) also played in the Serie A in their career.

-Both Marius Lacatus (90/91) and Brian Laudrup (92/93) played at Fiorentina during their career.

Both Brian Laudrup (1998) and Dan Petrescu (1995/2000) played at Chelsea during their careers.

Brian Laudrup (1994/98) and Jan Bartram (1988) played at Bayer Uerdingen and Rangers Glasgow in their career.

-Ivan Nielsen and Sabau played for Feyenoord in their career.

-Romania’s Dan Petrescu and Gheorghe Popescu played in the English League in their career, as did Denmark’s Peter Schmeichel, John Sivebaek, Lars Elstrup, Kent Nielsen, John Jensen and Brian Laudrup.

Michael Laudrup has managed in the English League.

-Soren Lerby became manager of Bayern Munich in 1991 with Brian Laudrup as one of his players.

-John Sivebaek and Soren Lerby played at AS Monaco during their career.

-On December 29, 1988, Romania’s Miodrag Beloidedici had fled Romania to seek asylum in Yugoslavia. He was ethnic Yugoslavian. He joined Red Star of Belgrade.

After the fall of Communism, the Romanian Federation made attempts to include Beloidedici before the end of the year.

-The following year, on November 20, 1990, Michael and Brian Laudrup and Jan Bartram withdrew themselves from further selection while Sepp Piontek’s successor, Richard Moller-Nielsen was is in charge.  The Laudrup brothers would eventually return to the National team.

Match Reports:

France Football, Issue 2276, November 21, 1989 \ World Soccer, January 1990 \ Sport, November 1989 \ Sportul, November 15, 16 and 16, 1989

Match Video / Highlights: