Romania left no room for doubts and defeated San Marino with authority in the second day of Group H of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers. With a solid 5-1 scoreline, the team coached by Mircea Lucescu scored its first victory in the competition and remains in the fight for the qualification places. San Marino, on the other hand, is still without points and remains at the bottom of the table.
A Start Marked By Romanian Forcefulness
From the opening whistle, Romania showed their superiority and took control of the game. It didn't take long for them to open the scoring, as just in the 6th minute, an unfortunate own goal by Michele Cevoli put the visitors ahead. The defender tried to clear a cross, but ended up sending the ball into his own net, complicating the panorama for San Marino from the start.
With their dominance of the match assured, the Romanians continued to look to extend their lead. Despite some isolated attempts by the locals, the technical and tactical difference between the two teams was evident. Towards the end of the first half, in the 43rd minute, Mihai Popescu took advantage of a ball in the box and with a precise shot made it 2-0, giving his team more peace of mind before the break.
San Marino, for their part, tried to resist the Romanian attacks, but struggled to generate offensive play. Possession of the ball was evenly balanced, but the visitors were almost exclusively in possession.
A Second Half With More Goals And Visitor Dominance
The second half brought no change in the script of the match. Romania came out with the same intensity and in the 54th minute, Razvan Marin increased the lead from the penalty spot. The midfielder made no mistake with a powerful shot to make it 3-0, practically sealing the match.
Despite the difference in the score, San Marino did not give up and managed to score in the 67th minute with a goal by Samuele Zannoni. The midfielder received a pass inside the box and scored with class to beat goalkeeper Horatiu Moldovan, scoring his team's only goal of the match.
However, any hopes of a comeback were quickly neutralized. In the 75th minute, Ianis Hagi also converted from the penalty spot to stretch the lead to 4-1. The home defense was unable to contain the speed and accuracy of the Romanian attackers, leading to mistakes inside the box that resulted in penalties.
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A Close Without Highlights AND A Last-Minute Goal
With the match practically decided, Romania managed the ball and avoided any unnecessary complications. San Marino tried to get close to the opponent's area, but without generating too much danger. The difference in level between the two teams was reflected in the number of clear shots on goal.
In stoppage time, Denis Alibec rounded off the scoring with a goal in the 94th minute. With an accurate shot, the striker made it 5-1 and confirmed his team's absolute dominance.
The win gave Romania three important points and put them in second place in Group H, keeping their qualification hopes alive. San Marino, on the other hand, is still without a point and remains at the bottom of the table, facing a complicated outlook for the remainder of the competition.
The next challenge for the Romanians will be a difficult away match against Austria, where they will seek to consolidate their good momentum. Meanwhile, San Marino will have to face Bosnia-Herzegovina with the mission of improving their performance and avoiding another drubbing.
