I'm a fan of Romania's but gotta say that both teams played very well in this interesting match. I remember seeing this back when it was on. I just wish I taped the whole game. This was a very exciting & well-paced game. Too bad both teams couldn't qualify. I think Czechoslovakia was in the group that year but got taken out after the country split. Had that not happened, I don't think either of these teams would have had a chance to qualify in this game since the Czechs were in 1st in the group.
Imagine. Had Wales won and gone through in place of Romania, neutral football fans would have been robbed of the Romanian Golden Generation at their peak - those fabulous goals, Hagi in his prime and the magnificent game against Argentina. So in hindsight, it's easy to appreciate the final result wholeheartedly as a "lover of the beautiful game". However, that doesn't mean we shouldn't feel sorry for Wales. As an Irish fan once said: "Have you never heard of 'share the wealth'? Even as we were running Estonia ragged in our play-off game against them, I managed to feel a sliver of sympathy for the Estonians, who will not get a chance like that again for a long time. Terry Yorath knew it, we all knew it - Wales wouldn't be back, and whaddya know it, we were all right." At least until 2016, when Chris Coleman's boys lit up the Euros with some mighty fine goals and displays.
@usernameemanresu Agree. And I was reading that same article in The Guardian :) For us Romanians that night is still very remembered, because gave us the chance to shine in America. It was all or nothing for many NTs that night. I wish good luck to Wales in the next qualifiers.
I have such a vivid image of that penalty miss in my brain... That kick shaped Welsh football for a long time. Remember my whole family's faces when that hit the bar. Painfully close.
Strange match, in which Romania deserved to be 0-3 ahead before Wales equalised, but then fell to pieces for about five minutes and Wales 'should' then have won. This might be the strongest Welsh side I've ever seen, relative to what else was around at the time - they'd given the Germans a good run for their money in Euro 92 Qualifying too.
This is maybe the match that born one generation: Romania golden team. Wales was a good team, but except min 59-60, when they have the goal and the penalty kick, they played under pressure, with fear. Romania played verry well, with possesion and a lot of goal situation. To see the different for this team, remember the match from Bucharest. 5-1, with 5 goals in 35 min. I`m sorry for Giggs. Huge player with no final tournament prezents. P.S. Sorry for my english.
Great game though! I used to go to Villa Park and I was a big fan of Deano - Dean Saunders. I wanted Wales to get through... OMG, I forgot that idiot that fired a distress flare at the end
According to the Guardian, Gary Speed said in 2003 "What I've always wondered is what would have happened had I stayed on my feet?" "Would I have scored if I hadn't gone down? Would that have made the crucial difference and taken us to the World Cup finals?" In my view, there's no way he would've got to the ball before the defender. So he shouldn't have felt guilty about going down.
we will get there 1 day 4 me being 18 its 18 yrear of hurt watching the mighty red seeing us beat the teams we have being there in the ground i just hope this time can do it next euros i think its 2 early at the mo for them
I don't believe it. Romania had at least 3 better goalscoring chances than the penalty Wales had, yet people here make it sound like Wales were actually close to the World Cup. If Romania was trying to attack instead of defending in the second half they would have scored and more than once. Romania was one of the best teams in the World Cup and deserved the place in the final as much as Sweden did. As a neutral supporter I would have been gutted to see Wales go through in 1994.
@lickstickly I don't have a crystal ball, but a team full of Bodins doesn't win games at the World Cup. Wales had only two world class players in the squad: Giggs(still too young for that level) and Southall. Rush was past his prime already and there were dozens of higher quality players than Hughes and Speed at the WC. Attitude would have been a problem as well, apparently. Calling people "idiots" just because they say things you don't like about your team is not very bright.
@mitya mate do you know anything about football, ask any manager if he would rather have 3 half chances or 1 penalty to get you a goal and i guarantee you they would go for the penalty, Wales were close to the world cup any idiot could see that (although you cant) i agree Romania were great in the world cup bu how can you say Wales would have been useless?! do you have a crystal ball mate?
I'm a fan of Romania's but gotta say that both teams played very well in this interesting match. I remember seeing this back when it was on. I just wish I taped the whole game. This was a very exciting & well-paced game. Too bad both teams couldn't qualify. I think Czechoslovakia was in the group that year but got taken out after the country split. Had that not happened, I don't think either of these teams would have had a chance to qualify in this game since the Czechs were in 1st in the group.
Imagine. Had Wales won and gone through in place of Romania, neutral football fans would have been robbed of the Romanian Golden Generation at their peak - those fabulous goals, Hagi in his prime and the magnificent game against Argentina. So in hindsight, it's easy to appreciate the final result wholeheartedly as a "lover of the beautiful game".
However, that doesn't mean we shouldn't feel sorry for Wales. As an Irish fan once said:
"Have you never heard of 'share the wealth'? Even as we were running Estonia ragged in our play-off game against them, I managed to feel a sliver of sympathy for the Estonians, who will not get a chance like that again for a long time. Terry Yorath knew it, we all knew it - Wales wouldn't be back, and whaddya know it, we were all right."
At least until 2016, when Chris Coleman's boys lit up the Euros with some mighty fine goals and displays.
@usernameemanresu Agree. And I was reading that same article in The Guardian :) For us Romanians that night is still very remembered, because gave us the chance to shine in America. It was all or nothing for many NTs that night. I wish good luck to Wales in the next qualifiers.
I remember watching this game on TV. I was gutted for Wales when that penalty was missed. SO close. SOO close. I would also cry. Nightmare!
I have such a vivid image of that penalty miss in my brain... That kick shaped Welsh football for a long time. Remember my whole family's faces when that hit the bar. Painfully close.
"Wales with the chance to lead 2-1"......those words have haunted me for over 15 years... :(
Strange match, in which Romania deserved to be 0-3 ahead before Wales equalised, but then fell to pieces for about five minutes and Wales 'should' then have won. This might be the strongest Welsh side I've ever seen, relative to what else was around at the time - they'd given the Germans a good run for their money in Euro 92 Qualifying too.
This is maybe the match that born one generation: Romania golden team.
Wales was a good team, but except min 59-60, when they have the goal and the penalty kick, they played under pressure, with fear.
Romania played verry well, with possesion and a lot of goal situation.
To see the different for this team, remember the match from Bucharest. 5-1, with 5 goals in 35 min.
I`m sorry for Giggs. Huge player with no final tournament prezents.
P.S. Sorry for my english.
was at the match and it still hurts like hell , never had a better chance to get to the world cup and never will
Great game though! I used to go to Villa Park and I was a big fan of Deano - Dean Saunders. I wanted Wales to get through... OMG, I forgot that idiot that fired a distress flare at the end
According to the Guardian, Gary Speed said in 2003 "What I've always wondered is what would have happened had I stayed on my feet?" "Would I have scored if I hadn't gone down? Would that have made the crucial difference and taken us to the World Cup finals?"
In my view, there's no way he would've got to the ball before the defender. So he shouldn't have felt guilty about going down.
Sad how the signs were there, when you read that Gary Speed was deeply affected by this match for years.
Really, I'm not sure if it was penalty... However, Wales had a tough team at that time... it was one hell of a match in Cardiff.
Let's not forget that Petrescu hit the post in the first half at 0-0. Moreover, the penalty missed by Wales was invented by the referee.
me 2 big man i love the nation so much and welsh football
we will get there 1 day 4 me being 18 its 18 yrear of hurt watching the mighty red seeing us beat the teams we have being there in the ground i just hope this time can do it next euros i think its 2 early at the mo for them
I'm 18 too hey
Was gutted, but fair-do's Romania (top Team). Ah, they were in Qualifiers twice in a row! Thought was Euro's aswell as it seemed a regular 'match up'.
RIP Gary Speed
Wales would've played Colombia if they'd got through. I'm neever going to see that game, am I? Still Haji, pure class.
what are you high? thats a penalty mate
I don't believe it. Romania had at least 3 better goalscoring chances than the penalty Wales had, yet people here make it sound like Wales were actually close to the World Cup. If Romania was trying to attack instead of defending in the second half they would have scored and more than once.
Romania was one of the best teams in the World Cup and deserved the place in the final as much as Sweden did. As a neutral supporter I would have been gutted to see Wales go through in 1994.
why the fuck did paul bodin take that penalty? i'll never understand.
Give it Southall
@lickstickly I don't have a crystal ball, but a team full of Bodins doesn't win games at the World Cup. Wales had only two world class players in the squad: Giggs(still too young for that level) and Southall. Rush was past his prime already and there were dozens of higher quality players than Hughes and Speed at the WC.
Attitude would have been a problem as well, apparently. Calling people "idiots" just because they say things you don't like about your team is not very bright.
@mitya mate do you know anything about football, ask any manager if he would rather have 3 half chances or 1 penalty to get you a goal and i guarantee you they would go for the penalty, Wales were close to the world cup any idiot could see that (although you cant) i agree Romania were great in the world cup bu how can you say Wales would have been useless?! do you have a crystal ball mate?