Piturca hailed after Romania hold France
Reuters - Sunday 12 October 2008, 13:31
BUCHAREST - Romania coach Victor Piturca was handed a vote of confidence on Sunday after a 2-2 World Cup 2010 qualifying draw at home to France on Saturday.
Romania led the French 2-0 before the former world champions hit back to earn a point in Constanta.
Piturca has come under fire in the media after a stuttering start to Romania's Group Seven qualifying campaign, losing 3-0 to Lithuania before scraping past the Faroe Islands 1-0.
"Romania's position in the table and the general playing manner are far from satisfactory yet, but we've started recovering after the miserable start," Romania Soccer Federation (FRF) general director Ionut Lupescu told Reuters. "Piturca has all our support to carry on with his four-year contract."
Romania are fifth in the six-team group with four points from three matches. Serbia and Lithuania lead the way on six points.
"Piturca not only managed to avoid defeat against a very strong France team but his team showed that Romania is able to progress," Lupescu added.
Last week, Piturca had said that the qualifier against France would not be a repeat of the drab goalless draw the teams played out at Euro 2008, one of the ugliest matches of the competition.
"Piturca completely changed his side's play and this is a good sign for the future," Lupescu said.
Lupescu said France were still favourites to win the group and predicted that Romania and Serbia would battle it out for second place.
LATEST EUROPEAN FOOTBALL NEWS