Latest Romania Soccer News

COLOGNE, Germany (AP) _ Strikers Lukas Podolski and Patrick Helmes will start in Germany's friendly against Romania on Wednesday, while goalkeeper Jens Lehmann will rest because of an elbow injury. The Arsenal goalkeeper had pain in his elbow after Germany's 2-0 win over Wales in a European Championship qualifier Saturday in Cardiff, coach Joachim Loew said Tuesday. His place will be taken by Timo Hildebrand, who has been only a reserve after moving to Valencia in the off-season. Podolski ...

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) _ A player with second-division club Jiul Petrosani was beaten after he tried to cancel his contract because he wasn't paid on time, authorities said Monday. Mihai Lungan and his agent Dumitru Tudor accused the club's owner Alin Simota of ordering his bodyguards to beat the player, said Florin Nicolae, head of the Petrosani police. ``We know who the attackers are,'' Nicolae told Realitatea television, adding that investigators are looking for evidence to prove guilt. Nicolae ...

Real Madrid scored two goals in each half to beat Steaua Bucharest 4-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday. Sergio Ramos, back from a one-game ban, headed into the net from 12 yards on a corner kick in the ninth minute. Raul Gonzalez doubled the lead in the 33rd minute from close range after goalkeeper Carlos Fernandes had blocked a shot by Ruud van Nistelrooy. Robinho, starting for the first time this season, beat Klemi Saban to make it ...

FC Steaua Bucuresti coach Cosmin Olaroiu has described Tuesday's visit of Real Madrid CF in UEFA Champions League Group E as a "great occasion for Steaua and for Romanian football", as his side look to increase the pressure on Fabio Capello's team at the Steaua Stadium. The sell-out match has taken record receipts for a game in Romania and is predicted to draw the biggest television audience in ...

Real Madrid will have defenders Fabio Cannavaro and Sergio Ramos back for Tuesday's Champions League Group E match at Steaua Bucharest (TSN, midnight ET on tape delay). Coming off a surprise 1-0 loss at Getafe in the Spanish league, Madrid's defensive problems will be helped by the expected return of Cannavaro after his knee injury and Ramos from a one-game ban. ``The defense problems were resolved by the recovery of ...

Ile Dumitrescu has resigned after eight months as PAOK coach. The Romanian, who had replaced Giorgos Kostikos as coach in February, quit after being criticized by PAOK fans following Sunday's 1-1 draw with Apollon Kalamaria, according to the Web site Supersport. PAOK is ninth in the 16-team Greek league with eight points, 10 behind leader Olympiakos.

Romania midfielder Dorinel Munteanu has retired from international soccer. The 38-year-old Munteanu said he wanted to focus on his coaching and playing career at CFR Cluj, one of the top teams in the Romanian league. Romania coach Victor Piturca said Monday he still needed Munteanu and hoped he would change his mind. ``He's an extraordinary player ... with Dorinel we are stronger,'' Piturca said. ``If he continues to play (at ...

A player from a team in southwest Romania has reportedly been suspended for two years after he turned up for a match drunk and threatened players, officials and spectators with a pistol. Ion Ciobanu, who plays for Unirea Goicea, played for his team at another regional club on Sunday. The referee noticed that Ciobanu appeared inebriated in the first half and informed club officials, who decided to substitute him with ...

Twenty-eight people required treatment in hospital after clashes between police and hundreds of soccer fans at a match between Steaua and Dinamo Bucharest. The trouble started at Wednesday's game between the Bucharest rivals when three Dinamo fans posed as officials and crossed into Steaua's section to steal a banner. Police used water cannons, rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the mostly Steau fans in the stands and near the ...

Romania's players have asked the soccer federation to move future matches away from the Constanta stadium, which they believe is now jinxed. Romania squandered a 2-0 lead against Bulgaria on Saturday in a European Championship qualifier. Martin Petrov scored in the 82nd and 84th minutes for the visitors. ``The players want to go elsewhere,'' Romania coach Victor Piturca told Realitatea TV on Monday. He said he would reluctantly accept to ...

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) _ Romania striker Ionel Ganea was recalled to play for his country in European Championship qualifiers against Bulgaria and Albania. Romania coach Victor Piturca said Monday that Ganea's experience could help the team against Bulgaria on Saturday. The 33-year-old Ganea has returned to Romania this season after playing in Germany and England. He scored all four goals to help Dinamo Bucharest beat Universitatea Craiova 4-0 Sunday. The ...

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) _ Romania's soccer federation has relegated Sportul Studentesc to the second division because of the Bucharest club's tax debts, federation director Ionut Lupescu said Thursday. Lupescu said European soccer's governing body UEFA backed the decision. Sportul owed 1.7 million lei ($692,915 Cdn) in taxes. Sportul owner Vasile Siman said the club had paid its taxes and threatened legal action against the federation. Sportul finished fourth last season. ...