Though it may have only been a group game, Romania and Colombia produced an all-time classic World Cup clash in 1994. Let’s take a trip down memory lane and reminisce about this game that was as big on character as it was on goals.
Flashback: Romania vs Colombia 1994
The context:
Going into the game, Colombia were considered one of the favourites for the tournament. They had only lost once in the preceding two years, and had just beaten Diego Maradona’s Argentina 5-0 in Buenos Aires.
Colombia were littered with talent in what was considered their ‘first golden generation’.
Romania had bounced back from failing to qualify for EURO 1992, and had a clutch of good players of their own, but led by the exceptional Gheorge Hagi, then at Brescia.
Under the baking-hot Californian sun, Romania and Colombia met to play what was just the second game of the USA ‘94 World Cup. The hosts had just played out a tense 1-1 draw with Switzerland way north in Detroit, but it would be the Romanian and Colombian national sides that made all the headlines.
The game:
Romania struck first. Florin Răducioiu, then of AC Milan, opened the scoring in the 15th minute, racing onto a Gheorge Hagi through ball, shifting the ball past a few Colombian defenders before firing a vicious shot into the far post.
Undeterred, Colombia hammered away at the Romanian goal, led by Bayern Munich striker Adolfo Valencia and the inimitable Carlos Valderrama. But they were met with stern resistance from Bogdan Stelea between the posts.
Romania were a threat on the break though, and after a few top stops from Oscar Cordoba, Hagi doubled Romania’s lead with a truly stunning goal. From way out on the left wing, Hagi spotted the slimmest of gaps above Cordoba and produced an inch-perfect lob that nestled in the far top corner.
Colombia responded just before half time, with Valencia converting from a corner. After play restarted, the match followed much the same pattern. An increasingly desperate Colombia edged closer and closer to an equaliser, particularly through Faustino Asprilla, the then star of an excellent Parma team.
But Romania maintained their counter-attacking threat, and in the 89th minute, Hagi spun a delightful pass in behind the high Colombian defensive line. Răducioiu hared onto it and rounded Cordoba, who had come off his line a little too hastily and slotted the ball into an empty net to seal the deal and make it 3-1 to Romania.
The aftermath:
Romania’s victory marked a proud moment for a nation still recovering from the brutality of Nicolae Ceaușescu’s dictatorial regime, on the biggest sporting stage of all. Romania and Hagi continued to entertain, but they suffered a penalty heartbreak in the quarter-finals against Sweden. The tournament cemented Gheorge Hagi's place as a national hero.
Colombia exited in the group stage, but suffered a darker fate still. The South Americans were still mired in the depths of a near-civil war between drug cartels and their government. Pablo Escobar had been dead a year, but the kingpin cast a long shadow and other criminals had taken his place.
This spilled into football when the cartel bosses, incensed at having lost money on Colombia’s early exit, had defender Andres Escobar killed, because he scored an own goal.
Romania vs Colombia: 30 years on
The two nations have fared very differently since their famous clash 30 years ago.
Since 1994, Colombia have played at a further three World Cups, most successfully in 2014, where they reached the quarter-finals. At the Copa America, they have made the semi-finals or better on four occasions, winning once in 2001.
They do not have the same star power of late, but can still boast plenty of players in Europe’s top five leagues such as Luis Diaz, and are still led by the superb James Rodriguez.
Romania qualified for the 1998 World Cup with many of the same players as 1994, but have failed to qualify since. They have made a handful of appearances at the European Championships, but have only made it out of the group once.
Romania are still led by a Hagi. Gheorge’s son, Ianis, is a regular for his country, but has not achieved the same levels as his father. Elsewhere, the standouts in the Romanian squad are Spurs defender Radu Drăgușin and current captain Nicolae Stanciu.
Home advantage will make this game competitive, but we still expect Colombia to win this one.
