Inzaghi Double Helps Italy Dent Romanian Hopes
BUCHAREST, March 24 (Reuters)(DS) - Two opportunist first-half goals from Filippo Inzaghi helped Italy a step closer to the 2002 World Cup finals with a 2-0 win over Romania on Saturday that left the home side's hopes of qualifying in tatters.
Inzaghi's two strikes, the first a 28th minute deflection off Daniel Prodan and the second a short-range header four minutes later, lifted Italy five points clear at the top of qualifying group eight.
Romania started strongly, but poor passing and ball control on a sodden pitch let down many of their attempts to unlock a formidable Italian defence, wich closed the home side down with a swarm of blue shirts.
The visitors were equally impressive on the break and hard running from Inzaghi and Alessandro Del Piero, whose 32nd minute shot was parried right onto the forehead of his Juventus team-mate by Romanian keeper Bogdan Stelea, made the difference.
"The goals came against the run of play and dented the morale of our younger players," Romanian striker Viorel Moldovan said. "Once the second went in the match was over because it's almost impossible to score three times against Italy."
A gutsy performance from Adrian Ilie in his first match back after a two-month layoff failed to produce goals for Romania. Although the Valencia striker showed class, he lacked pace and it was Moldovan and Dennis Serban who came closest to scoring.
Italian coach Giovanni Trapattoni was full of praise for the way his side soaked up pressure before counter-attacking to exploit a weak Romanian defence, depleted by the last-minute withdrawal of Ajax's Cristian Chivu with a cold.
"Nobody could have beaten us today and Inzaghi was perfect, always in the right place at the right time," Trapattoni said. The advance of the three-times world champions towards another finals will help to soften the blow of a dismal showing by Italian clubs in European competitions this season.
"The national team showed that Italian football is not just about the foreigners who play in our league." Trapattoni said. Although Inzaghi has scored four times in Italy's last three games against Romania, including a 3-0 win in October, Romanian coach Ladislau Boloni said he had no regrets about fielding a three-man back line and a three forwards in the hunt for
goals.
"We lost the game to very dangerous Italian counter-attacks," he said, adding that it was now more important to focus on Wednesday's visit to Georgia for a game Romania cannot lose if they are to have any hope of qualifying. "For us it's now essential to beat Georgia and to think very seriously about battling for second place in the group."
Romania have just three points from three games and although Lithuania's shock draw away to Hungary on Saturday gives them an outside hope, they need the Italians to keep winning matches.
"I hope Italy will help us now," Boloni said.
