EURO'96. First Round. Group B. 18/06/1996.
SPA: Javier Manjarin (10), Guillermo Amor (84).
ROM: Florin Raducioiu (28).
SPA: ZUBIZARRETA 6.5; Lopez 5, Alkorta 6, Abelardo 5.5 (Amor, 64), Sergi 6.5; Nadal 5, Hierro 5.5, Manjarin 5.5, Amavisca 5 (Guerrero, 72); Kiko 6, Pizzi 4 (Alfonso, 57 - 6).
ROM: Prunea 6; Petrescu 6, Prodan 6 (Lupescu, 85), Dobos 5.5, Selimes 5.5; Popescu 6, Galca 6, Hagi 6, Stinga 6; Raducioiu 6 (Vladoiu, 77), Ilie 6 (Munteanu, 66).
REFEREE: Ahmet Cakar (Turkey).
AUDIENCE: 32.719, Elland Road, Leeds.
YELLOW CARDS: Kiko, Nadal (Spain); Popescu, Hagi, Ilie, Galca (Romania).
RED CARDS: NONE.
Guillermo Amor was undoubtedly the happiest Spanish player of the last days. On Monday, his wife gave birth to their 2nd child, and yesterday, coming as a substitute, he scored a crucial winner against Romania, taking Spain into the 2nd round. In general, Javier Clemente, the Spanish coach, can see himself very lucky as all of his substitutions in the whole tournament proved right - Alfonso, Manjarin, Amor...
That happened after 84 minutes, giving the Spanish fans a joy late but full. Sergi penetrated at the left wing and bounced the ball into the box, Alfonso jumped high and centered the ball by head to Amor who flew forward to head it home in front of the helpless Prunea, from 5 meters. 2:1 to Spain.
Spain was fighting for the qualifying ticket, and Romania was fighting for its dignity to be partially saved. Popescu had the first real opportunity, after his free kick from 25 meters deflected from Spanish defender centimeters near the left post of Zubizarreta. But after several minutes, the opener came on the other side - a shot of Amavisca hit Pizzi and deflected to Manjarin, who shot it flatly and precisely to the right corner of Prunea. The keeper didn't even move. 1:0.
Laurent Blanc scored in Newcastle, and the joy of Spain was great. However, the ball was put to the Spanish legs, to start the game from the midcircle after an equalizer. Stinga (28) sent Raducioiu forward, the offside trap of Spain failed, and the forward rushed into the box and beat Zubizarreta from the close range. 1:1. Despite the fact that Spain depended mostly on itself, it played badly during the second half, until the salvation came from the head of Amor.
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