Republic of Ireland 5 - 0 Romania | 2019 - UEFA Under-19 Championship | 2026289

UEFA European Under-19 Championship Elite Round | Kuban Stadium, Krasnador

20 March 2019 - 09:00 (12:00 local time)

Republic of Ireland 5 - 0 Romania

Afolabi(7) Smallbone(11) Smallbone(53) Afolabi(64) full-time Petrila(57)

Report
Preview
Lineups
Minute by Minute Commentary
Statistics
Gallery

Ireland U19: Five-star showing defeats Romania

The Republic of Ireland Under-19s began their UEFA Under-19 European Championship Elite Round campaign with an outstanding 5-0 win over Romania in Krasnodar, Russia.

20th Mar 2019

Two goals each from Jonathan Afolabi and Will Smallbone, along with a Romanian own-goal gave Tom Mohan’s side a valuable three points and a healthy goal difference, in a group where only one team qualifies for this summer’s Finals in Armenia.

Mohan’s side started the game fantastically, with both Afolabi and Smallbone finding the back of the new inside the opening 11-minutes.

From there it was all one-way traffic with the duo scoring again early in the second-half either side of an own-goal from Romanian winger Claudiu Petrila.

With 20-minutes left to go, Brian Maher saved a penalty from Romania’s Vladimir Screciu after Raoul Baicu was fouled in the box, to ensure Ireland finished the game with a clean sheet.

Speaking after the game, Mohan was delighted to get the win, and start the Elite Round in an emphatic manner.

"The team did very well today. We were clinical with our chances early on. It was a very mature performance from the team in both halves", Mohan revealed.

"Romania weren't as easy opponents as the 5-0 scoreline suggests. They were very difficult to play against"

The Under-19s return to action on Saturday, with a match against Azerbaijan at 9am, and Mohan is expecting a tough clash.

"We have to park our own game now and focus on Azerbaijan. It's a big game for us. We can build on today's performance, but there are areas to improve in."

Republic of Ireland: Brian Maher; Andy Lyons (Tom Gaston 84), Oisin McEntee, Jack James (Mark McGuinness 80), Kameron Ledwidge; Jason Knight, Will Smallbone (Richard O’Farrell 71), Aaron Bolger (capt); Ali Reghba (Luca Connell 71), Jonathan Afolabi, Will Ferry (Tyreik Wright 80)

Romania: Andrei Cristea; Andrei-Marius Rus (Antonio Sefer 32), Vladimir Screciu, Marco Ehmann, Sorin Serban (Rares Ispas 58); Raoul Baicu (Ovidiu Horsia 79), Radu Chiriac, Antonio Manolache (capt) (Alexandru Tirlea 32), Claudiu Petrila; Valentin Mihăilă, Leonardo Mitruscsak (Andrei Banyoi 58)

Referee: Mads-Kristoffer Kristoffersen (DEN)

Tactical Lineups

Republic of Ireland

Substitutes

Coach

Tom Mohan

Romania

Substitutes

3 Rareş Ispas
6 Marius Leca
7 Alex
9 Andrei Banyoi
10 Antonio Sefer
14 Ovidiu Horsia
17 Marian Șerban

Coach

Daniel Constantin Oprescu

Officials

Referee Mads Kristoffersen
Assistant Referees Jakob Mastrup
UEFA Delegate Lukasz Wachowski
Assistant Referee Two Egor Bolkhovitin
Fourth Official Nikolai Voloshin
Referee Observer Emil Bozinovski

Minute by Minute Commentary

1" The match is under way.
2" Claudiu Petrila (Romania) takes the corner.
2" Claudiu Petrila (Romania) is penalised for a foul on Aaron Bolger (Republic of Ireland).
3" Valentin Mihăilă (Romania) is penalised for a foul on Jason Knight (Republic of Ireland).
3" William Smallbone (Republic of Ireland) takes the free-kick.
3" William Smallbone (Republic of Ireland) has an effort on goal.
3" Andrei Cristea (Romania) blocks a shot.
4" Oisin McEntee (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Valentin Mihăilă (Romania).
5" Jason Knight (Republic of Ireland) has a shot blocked.
6" William Ferry (Republic of Ireland) takes the corner.
6" Jason Knight (Republic of Ireland) has a shot blocked.
6" William Ferry (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Andrei-Marius Rus (Romania).
7" Jonathan Afolabi (Republic of Ireland) scores!
7" William Smallbone (Republic of Ireland) assists.
10" Jonathan Afolabi (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Vladimir Screciu (Romania).
11" William Smallbone (Republic of Ireland) scores!
11" William Ferry (Republic of Ireland) assists.
13" Aaron Bolger (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Radu Chiriac (Romania).
15" William Smallbone (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Sorin Șerban (Romania).
18" Claudiu Petrila (Romania) has a shot blocked.
18" Claudiu Petrila (Romania) takes the corner.
18" Marco Ehmann (Romania) has an effort on goal.
18" Brian Maher (Republic of Ireland) blocks a shot.
22" Jonathan Afolabi (Republic of Ireland) has a shot blocked.
23" William Smallbone (Republic of Ireland) takes the corner.
24" Oisin McEntee (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Leonardo Mitruscsak (Romania).
25" William Ferry (Republic of Ireland) has an effort on goal.
25" Andrei Cristea (Romania) blocks a shot.
29" William Ferry (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Andrei-Marius Rus (Romania).
30" Andrei-Marius Rus (Romania) is penalised for a foul on Kameron Ledwidge (Republic of Ireland).
30" William Smallbone (Republic of Ireland) takes the free-kick.
30" William Smallbone (Republic of Ireland) has an effort on goal.
30" Andrei Cristea (Romania) blocks a shot.
31" Ali Reghba (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Sorin Șerban (Romania).
32" Alex (in) - Andrei-Marius Rus (out) (@@teamID)
32" Antonio Sefer (in) - Antonio Manolache (out) (@@teamID)
34" Jason Knight (Republic of Ireland) has a shot blocked.
34" Jason Knight (Republic of Ireland) has a shot blocked.
37" Andrew Lyons (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Claudiu Petrila (Romania).
39" William Ferry (Republic of Ireland) takes the corner.
39" Jason Knight (Republic of Ireland) has a shot blocked.
39" Ali Reghba (Republic of Ireland) misses the target.
40" Oisin McEntee (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Leonardo Mitruscsak (Romania).
40" Aaron Bolger (Republic of Ireland) is cautioned by the referee.
43" Oisin McEntee (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Leonardo Mitruscsak (Romania).
45+1" Ali Reghba (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Claudiu Petrila (Romania).
The referee blows for half-time.
46" The second half begins.
46" Jason Knight (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Leonardo Mitruscsak (Romania).
47" Antonio Sefer (Romania) takes the free-kick.
47" Antonio Sefer (Romania) has a shot blocked.
47" Antonio Sefer (Romania) has a shot blocked.
49" Antonio Sefer (Romania) is penalised for a foul on Jason Knight (Republic of Ireland).
49" Aaron Bolger (Republic of Ireland) takes the free-kick.
50" Alex (Romania) is penalised for a foul on Aaron Bolger (Republic of Ireland).
51" Vladimir Screciu (Romania) is penalised for a foul on William Ferry (Republic of Ireland).
51" Vladimir Screciu (Romania) is cautioned by the referee.
51" William Smallbone (Republic of Ireland) takes the free-kick.
52" Ali Reghba (Republic of Ireland) misses the target.
53" William Smallbone (Republic of Ireland) scores!
53" Jonathan Afolabi (Republic of Ireland) assists.
53" William Smallbone (Republic of Ireland) assists.
53" William Smallbone (Republic of Ireland) assists.
54" Valentin Mihăilă (Romania) has an effort on goal.
54" Brian Maher (Republic of Ireland) blocks a shot.
55" Claudiu Petrila (Romania) has an effort on goal.
55" Brian Maher (Republic of Ireland) blocks a shot.
55" Antonio Sefer (Romania) has a shot blocked.
55" Claudiu Petrila (Romania) takes the corner.
57" William Smallbone (Republic of Ireland) takes the corner.
57" Claudiu Petrila (Romania) scores!
58" Andrei Banyoi (in) - Leonardo Mitruscsak (out) (@@teamID)
58" Rareş Ispas (in) - Sorin Șerban (out) (@@teamID)
61" Andrew Lyons (Republic of Ireland) is cautioned by the referee.
61" Andrew Lyons (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Claudiu Petrila (Romania).
64" Jonathan Afolabi (Republic of Ireland) scores!
64" Ali Reghba (Republic of Ireland) assists.
65" Antonio Sefer (Romania) is penalised for a foul on Aaron Bolger (Republic of Ireland).
67" Valentin Mihăilă (Romania) is penalised for a foul on Jason Knight (Republic of Ireland).
68" Claudiu Petrila (Romania) takes the corner.
71" Jason Knight (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Raoul Baicu (Romania).
71" Richard O'Farrell (in) - Ali Reghba (out) (@@teamID)
71" Luca Connell (in) - William Smallbone (out) (@@teamID)
72" Vladimir Screciu (Romania) hits the post from the penalty spot.
73" Luca Connell (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Valentin Mihăilă (Romania).
73" Andrew Lyons (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Claudiu Petrila (Romania).
75" Vladimir Screciu (Romania) is penalised for a foul on Jonathan Afolabi (Republic of Ireland).
79" Ovidiu Horsia (in) - Raoul Baicu (out) (@@teamID)
80" Tyreik Wright (in) - William Ferry (out) (@@teamID)
80" Mark McGuinness (in) - Jack James (out) (@@teamID)
82" Marco Ehmann (Romania) is penalised for a foul on Andrew Lyons (Republic of Ireland).
82" Marco Ehmann (Romania) is cautioned by the referee.
84" Tom Gaston (in) - Andrew Lyons (out) (@@teamID)
85" Antonio Sefer (Romania) misses the target.
88" Alex (Romania) is penalised for a foul on Tyreik Wright (Republic of Ireland).
90" Vladimir Screciu (Romania) is penalised for a foul on Jonathan Afolabi (Republic of Ireland).
The final whistle is blown.