Romania suffered one of the heaviest defeats in their history on Friday night, losing 6-0 to Poland at the National Stadium in Warsaw in their third UEFA Nations League Group B4 fixture. The visitors made an encouraging start and created three significant opportunities in the opening 21 minutes, but the match changed completely in the 22nd minute, when Radu Drăgușin was sent off and Poland were awarded a penalty. Robert Lewandowski converted from the spot and went on to complete a hat-trick as Romania conceded five times after the interval.
It was Romania’s heaviest defeat in 59 years. The national team had not lost a match by six or more goals since 24 May 1967, when Switzerland defeated Romania 7-1 in Zurich.
Romania start brightly as Bîrligea and Băluță threaten
The final score tells the story of a dreadful evening, but the opening 20 minutes suggested something entirely different. Poland won their first corner after barely 30 seconds, but Romania quickly overcame the hosts’ early pressure and began creating opportunities of their own.
In the third minute, Valentin Mihăilă released Daniel Bîrligea, who held off his opponent before shooting with his left foot. Marcin Bułka gathered the effort at the second attempt.
A much bigger opportunity followed in the ninth minute. Ianis Hagi delivered a free kick from the left and the ball eventually reached Tudor Băluță, who fired towards goal from approximately seven metres. Bułka produced a crucial save with his foot, before Dennis Man sent the rebound over the crossbar.
Romania continued to find spaces in the Polish defence. Man accelerated down the left and pulled the ball back towards Mihăilă in the 13th minute, although the move did not produce a shot, before Bîrligea threatened again in the 21st.
The striker found room inside the penalty area and struck powerfully from an angle, only for Bułka to make another save. Romania had created three good opportunities in the opening 21 minutes.
Drăgușin sent off in the 22nd minute, Lewandowski converts the penalty
In the 22nd minute, Radu Drăgușin challenged Robert Lewandowski inside the Romanian penalty area. Swiss referee Urs Schnyder ruled that the defender had fouled the Polish striker, pointed to the spot and showed Drăgușin a straight red card.
Robert Lewandowski stepped up in the 24th minute and sent Otto Hindrich the wrong way to make it 1-0. Gheorghe Hagi was forced to reorganise his defence immediately. Valentin Mihăilă was sacrificed in the 27th minute, with Andrei Coubiș introduced to restore the defensive line.
From that moment, the direction of the match changed dramatically. Wiktor Nowak fired wide from an angle in the 29th minute, while Hindrich was rescued by his crossbar three minutes later when Frankowski unleashed a powerful effort from approximately 25 metres.
Poland could have doubled their advantage before half-time. Karol Świderski failed to find Lewandowski with the decisive pass during a dangerous attack in the 37th minute, while Nicola Zalewski later sent another effort over the crossbar.
Two goals in three minutes after the restart
Any hope that Romania could remain in the contest disappeared almost immediately after the restart. In the 47th minute, Nicola Zalewski found space on the flank and delivered into the penalty area, where Robert Lewandowski arrived only a few metres from goal and finished to make it 2-0.
Two minutes later came Poland’s third. The hosts broke forward, Frankowski sent the ball towards goal and Virgil Ghiță attempted to intervene, only to deflect it beyond Otto Hindrich.
It was 3-0 only four minutes into the second half. Poland continued to attack. Sebastian Szymański struck the post with a powerful effort from around 25 metres in the 53rd minute as Romania struggled to escape their own half.
Marin’s mistake gifts Poland a fourth, Bednarek makes it five
The fourth goal arrived in the 62nd minute following an individual error. Răzvan Marin misplaced a pass directly into the path of Piotr Zieliński, who immediately took advantage and beat Hindrich for 4-0.
Four minutes later, the scoreboard changed again. Szymański delivered a corner into the area and Jan Bednarek won the aerial duel before heading home to make it 5-0. Poland had scored four goals in only 19 minutes after the restart.
Gheorghe Hagi responded with a triple substitution in the 67th minute. Dennis Man, Nicușor Bancu and Ianis Hagi were withdrawn, with Bogdan Racovițan, Andrei Borza and Marius Marin coming on. Cătălin Cîrjan later replaced Răzvan Marin in the 78th minute, with the captain’s armband passing to Andrei Rațiu.
Lewandowski completes his hat-trick
Even at 5-0, Poland continued looking for another goal. Frankowski had another opportunity in the 70th minute and Zalewski threatened Hindrich’s goal six minutes later before the hosts eventually found their sixth.
In the 86th minute, Robert Lewandowski produced an individual run, beat Virgil Ghiță and Andrei Borza and finished past Otto Hindrich, completing his hat-trick. Poland 6-0 Romania.
Three matches, three defeats and 12 goals conceded
The result in Warsaw continues Romania’s extremely difficult start to this edition of the Nations League. The Tricolours have lost all three matches: 1-2 away to Sweden, 2-4 against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Bucharest and now 0-6 against Poland in Warsaw.
After three rounds, Romania have no points, with three goals scored and 12 conceded. Their next match is scheduled for Monday, 5 October, against Sweden at the National Arena in Bucharest.
