Romania’s U19 national team brought a thrilling European Championship campaign to a close after falling 3–1 to a remarkably composed and tactically mature Dutch side. Backed by a fervent crowd of 12,199 fans at Giulești Stadium in Bucharest, the young footballers couldn’t match the superior experience and clinical edge of the Netherlands, who advanced to their first-ever final at U19 level.
The opening exchanges saw Romania pressing high and breaking forward with pace, justifying their spot among Europe’s top four. The defense stayed compact and disciplined under early pressure, and, for the first 15 minutes, the match hung finely in the balance.
In the 36th minute, Don-Angelo Konadu – the Ajax Amsterdam forward – rose highest in the box to head home a pinpoint cross from Ayoub Oufkir. Just six minutes later, Kees Smit calmly doubled the lead with a perfectly placed strike into the far corner, capping off a slick team move that left Romania chasing shadows.
Eight minutes into the second half, the contest was effectively sealed. A textbook counterattack orchestrated by the Dutch midfield sliced open the Romanian backline, with Aymen Sliti applying the cool finish past helpless keeper Mate Simon, 3–0 to the Netherlands.
Still, Romania refused to go down without a fight. Marin Ion’s side showed heart and character, pushing forward with renewed intent. Their persistence paid off in the 68th minute, when David Barbu pulled one back with a deflected effort that wrong-footed the Dutch defense – a small consolation in a match otherwise dominated by orange-blue shirts.
Dutch efficiency tells the story
- Possession: Netherlands 59% – Romania 41%
- Shots on target: Netherlands 10 – Romania 6
- Clear chances: Netherlands 5 – Romania 2
- Yellow cards: Romania 2 – Netherlands 1
