Romania’s U19 team placed in Group A of European Football Championship
<p>The Romanian national team was placed in Group A, alongside Denmark, Spain, and Montenegro, at the final tournament of the Under-19 European Football Championship, which will take place in Romania, between June 13–26.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Teams from Germany, Norway, England, and the Netherlands will compete in Group B of the Championship, which will be hosted on stadiums in Bucharest (Giulești and Arcul de Triumf), Voluntari (Anghel Iordănescu), and Ploiești (Ilie Oană).</p>
<p>The top two teams from each group will qualify for the final tournament.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Romania was initially supposed to host the final tournament in 2021, but the competition was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The country has previously hosted the final tournament once, in 2011, when it finished last in Group A, with one draw (0-0 with Ireland) and two losses (1-3 to the Czech Republic, and 0-1 to Greece). The title was won then by Spain.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Romania’s group is challenging. Spain, which is also the current U19 European champion and nine-time winner of the tournament in its current format, qualified by winning a difficult group with France, Italy, and Latvia, according to the <a href="https://www.frf.ro/nationale/masculin/romania-u19/live-video-romania-u19-isi-afla-azi-de-la-ora-1200-adversarii-la-campionatul-european-din-aceasta-vara-gazduit-de-tara-noastra/">FRF website</a>.</p>
<p>Denmark won its group with maximum points against Austria, Hungary, and Iceland.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Montenegro will debut at a continental Under-19 final tournament after an exceptional run in another very balanced group from the elite round, hosted by Georgia. The team drew with Slovakia (1-1), defeated Poland 1-0, and beat Georgia 3-1.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Romania’s team, coached by Ion Marin, qualified directly for the final tournament. Romania had not participated in an Under-19 final tournament since 2022, when it lost all three matches.</p>
<p><em><a href="mailto:radu@romania-insider.com">radu@romania-insider.com</a></em></p>
<p><em>(Photo source: FRF.ro)</em></p>