Romania v Spain, 18 June 1996

Score2-1 to Spain
RefereeAhmet Caker
CompetitionUEFA European Championship Finals Group B
VenueElland Road
Attendance32,719
Kick-off: 4.30pm With Spain seemingly destined to finish third in Group B and miss out on the quarter-finals, substitute Guillermo Amor intervened with six minutes remaining to send Javier Clemente's team through at Bulgaria's expense. Though Spain had extended their unbeaten run to 18 games by drawing their opening two fixtures, they remained outsiders to progress going into the final round of games. In need of a victory regardless of the outcome between France and Bulgaria, their task appeared all the brighter after Javier Manjarín's 11th-minute opener at Elland Road. Florin Răducioiu equalised just after the half-hour, though, and it was not until late on that Spain's progress was assured; Les Bleus' 3-1 victory in Newcastle ensured they finished at the section summit. The return of Miguel Nadal to Spain's midfield added some welcome steel but it was another newcomer, Manjarín, who was first to play a decisive role when he finished precisely after the ball had fortuitously bounced his way off the back of Antonio Pizzi's foot. Orchestrated by Gheorghe Hagi, not at his best on his 100th international appearance, Romania could not be discounted. They duly drew level on 29 minutes when their talismanic captain played in Răducioiu, who did the rest to register his country's first goal of the tournament. Spain upped the tempo after the restart – events at St James' Park were going in their favour but they needed another goal regardless. It came as the Romanian resistance started to weaken, Amor stooping forward to head in after Alfonso Pérez had deftly touched back Sergi Barjuán's cross. Celebrations all round, especially for the goalscorer, who flew home the next day for the birth of his child.

1  Romania

Manager: Anghel Iordanescu

2  Spain

Manager: Javier Clemente

Goals:

Florin Răducioiu 29 G

Goals:

Manjarín 10 G
Amor 84 G

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Florin Prunea
Defender Anton Dobos
Defender Dan Petrescu
Defender Gheorghe Popescu
Defender Daniel Prodan
Midfielder Constantin Gâlcă
Midfielder Gheorghe Hagi (captain)
Midfielder Tibor Selymes
Midfielder Ovidiu Stîngă
Forward Adrian Ilie

Starting lineup:

Zubizarreta Goalkeeper (captain)
Abelardo Defender
Alkorta Defender
Hierro Defender
Lopez Defender
Nadal Defender
Sergi Defender
Amavisca Midfielder
Kiko Forward
Manjarín Forward
Pizzi Forward

Substitutions:

Dorinel Munteanu for Adrian Ilie 65
Ion Vlădoiu for Florin Răducioiu 78
Ionut Lupescu for Daniel Prodan 86

Substitutions:

Alfonso for Pizzi 57
Amor for Abelardo 64
Guerrero for Amavisca 72

Cards:

Gheorghe Hagi 21 Y
Adrian Ilie 47 Y
Constantin Gâlcă 77 Y

Cards:

Kiko 36 Y
Nadal 59 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Bogdan Stelea
Goalkeeper Florin Tene
Defender Iulian Filipescu
Defender Gheorghe Mihali
Midfielder Ionut Lupescu
Midfielder Dorinel Munteanu
Midfielder Ioan Sabău
Forward Viorel Moldovan
Forward Ion Vlădoiu

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Cañizares
Goalkeeper Jose Molina
Defender Belsué
Defender Otero
Midfielder Amor
Midfielder Caminero
Midfielder Donato
Midfielder Guerrero
Midfielder Luis Enrique
Forward Alfonso
Forward Salinas

1  Romania

Manager: Anghel Iordanescu

Goals:

Florin Răducioiu 29 G

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Florin Prunea
Defender Anton Dobos
Defender Dan Petrescu
Defender Gheorghe Popescu
Defender Daniel Prodan
Midfielder Constantin Gâlcă
Midfielder Gheorghe Hagi (captain)
Midfielder Tibor Selymes
Midfielder Ovidiu Stîngă
Forward Adrian Ilie

Substitutions:

Dorinel Munteanu for Adrian Ilie 65
Ion Vlădoiu for Florin Răducioiu 78
Ionut Lupescu for Daniel Prodan 86

Cards:

Gheorghe Hagi 21 Y
Adrian Ilie 47 Y
Constantin Gâlcă 77 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Bogdan Stelea
Goalkeeper Florin Tene
Defender Iulian Filipescu
Defender Gheorghe Mihali
Midfielder Ionut Lupescu
Midfielder Dorinel Munteanu
Midfielder Ioan Sabău
Forward Viorel Moldovan
Forward Ion Vlădoiu

2  Spain

Manager: Javier Clemente

Goals:

Manjarín 10 G
Amor 84 G

Starting lineup:

Zubizarreta Goalkeeper (captain)
Abelardo Defender
Alkorta Defender
Hierro Defender
Lopez Defender
Nadal Defender
Sergi Defender
Amavisca Midfielder
Kiko Forward
Manjarín Forward
Pizzi Forward

Substitutions:

Alfonso for Pizzi 57
Amor for Abelardo 64
Guerrero for Amavisca 72

Cards:

Kiko 36 Y
Nadal 59 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Cañizares
Goalkeeper Jose Molina
Defender Belsué
Defender Otero
Midfielder Amor
Midfielder Caminero
Midfielder Donato
Midfielder Guerrero
Midfielder Luis Enrique
Forward Alfonso
Forward Salinas