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Romanian Coach under Axe over Defeat against Lithuania
BUCHAREST – The Romanian soccer coach Victor Piturca’s is under axe fr after the defeat against Lithuania in their World Cup qualifier. His job could be in danger after a “shameful” home defeat yesterday. He has been warned by officials and the media on Sunday.
“It was a shameful result but it’s not the time to discuss Piturca’s dismissal now,” Romanian Football Federation (FRF) president Mircea Sandu said the reporters here. “We’ll review the case after the match (against Faroe Islands) in Torshavn, for sure.”
Romania, who play the Faroes on Wednesday, had been expected to easily beat unheralded Lithuania in their World Cup Group Seven match on Saturday.
“Piturca’s main aim was to get at least seven points from the first three matches (in the 2010 World Cup campaign) but he has already failed to achieve that,” Sandu said.
Piturca was severely criticised by the local media after the team’s first defeat at home since 2005.
“The failure put Piturca’s job in great danger,” feels influential daily Evenimentul Zilei said. “He said he would quit in 2010 but his departure could happen much earlier.”
A crowd of 20,000 frustrated spectators at the game in the western city of Cluj whistled at the players and shouted slogans against Piturca, calling the sacking of him.
“Very few ideas in attack, huge errors in defence, a poor playing manner recalling the Euro 2008 finals’ disagreeable 2-0 defeat against the Netherlands,” Pro Sport daily wrote on its front page.
Romania’s last defeat at home was three years ago to the Netherlands won 2-0 in Constanta at Piturca’s first match in his second spell in charge of the team.
Piturca rejected Sunday’s criticism, saying Romanian soccer was not as strong as fans and the media believed.
Romania will host group favourites France in Constanta on Oct. 11.
Tags : World Cup, Soccer, Romania, Lithuania, Victor Pitruca, Cluj, Summary: The Romanian media along with football officia

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