Stanciu stunner leads Romania to dominant victory against Ukraine

Nicolae Stanciu celebrates Romania’s opening goal with Dennis Man and Andrei Ratiu. Photograph: Catherine Ivill/AMA/Getty Images

Thirty years ago, when they could briefly claim to be one of the world’s best teams, Romania won millions of admirers with their eye for the spectacular. It returned to devastating effect in their return to major tournament football, a performance of eye-bulging intensity giving a fancied but ultimately tepid Ukraine side no answer.

Serhiy Rebrov’s players did not know what had hit them. They had been dominant to little effect until just before the half hour when Nicolae Stanciu, the Romania captain, transformed the picture with a long-range strike that may not be bettered all month. Razvan Marin, again from distance, and Denis Dragus settled the issue in rip-roaring start to the second period and Ukraine will surely need four points from somewhere if their remarkable story of resilience is to continue in Germany.

The context in which Ukraine arrived had been laid bare in the morning. Andriy Shevchenko, now a statesmanlike presence as their football association president, rousingly addressed a crowd of supporters in Wittelsbacherplatz. He was opening an exhibit displaying part of a stadium from Kharkiv that was destroyed by Russian shelling; when Ukraine’s players emerged to warm up three hours later it was hard not to marvel at their achievement at simply gracing this stage.

Tartan had been replaced by resplendent yellow on the streets of Munich for the first truly warm day of the competition, reflecting both sides’ primary colours. Despite the healthy Ukrainian presence it was Romania who held a numerical advantage. Gheorghe Hagi addressed their support on the big screen 45 minutes before kick-off to a roar; his son Ianis started on the bench for a team that sailed through qualifying unbeaten.

Much of that record owed to a staunch defence and Ukraine, full of technicians, set about examining its capabilities. Mykhaylo Mudryk, in the mood to run at the blue-haired Andrei Ratiu, saw an early slalom snuffed out and fed Taras Stepanenko for a cross that was hacked away. A smart move between Heorhiy Sudakov and Viktor Tsyhankov brought a glimmer for the La Liga top scorer Artem Dovbyk but Radu Dragusin was in the way.

Dragusin, the Spurs centre-back, and his colleagues spent the first 25 minutes holding their shape, stitching nothing together in attack beyond a harmless Florinel Coman shot. Much as Ukraine probed there were few spaces to exploit upon reaching the penalty area. Doybyk lashed optimistically over and Ratiu did superbly to stop Mudryk wriggling around him in a tight position at the byline.

Then, from nowhere, Stanciu finished thrillingly and gave them a lead to defend. Romania had shown hints of emerging from their shell but there seemed nothing remarkable in the offing when Mykola Matvienko passed back towards Andriy Lunin. The ball was slightly undercooked and Lunin, of Real Madrid, cleared hurriedly to his left. He could only reach Dennis Man, who quickly fed Stanciu for a fiendishly difficult 22-yard shot that was whipped first-time into the top corner and sent Romania’s substitutes cascading onto the turf.

Mudryk, volleying against Stepanenko, sought a quick equaliser but Romania were a different proposition now. A Man shot deflected wide and, from the corner, Stanciu almost embarrassed Lunin again with an inswinger that clipped the bar. By half-time Romania’s livewire manager, Edward Iordanescu, was fist-pumping his players’ defensive interventions and Ukraine had barely landed a jab.

Overhauling a one-goal deficit looked tough for Ukraine; eight minutes after the interval their task was rendered impossible. Romania emerged on the front foot, Coman drilling wide, and expectations of another rearguard action were blown out of the park.

First Ratiu, who had given Mudryk nothing and now saw space to counter, marauded upfield and found Man to his left. Mykola Shaparenko seemed to have snuffed out the danger but Marin, running onto the ball, returned it with interest. His shot was cleanly struck but should have been parried by Lunin, who might tenuously claim to have been unsighted. It flew through his hands and, incredibly, Ukraine’s afternoon soon deteriorated further.

Romania’s earlier aggression levels at the back were now being replicated everywhere. Lunin achieved a scintilla of redemption by saving from Ratiu but seconds later Ukraine, now looking shaken, were all at sea. Man received the corner short from Stanciu and swerved too easily past Shaparenko, reaching the corner of the six-yard box and centring for Dragus to tap in.

Rebrov rolled the dice but there could be no way back even though Sudakov finally drew a meaningful stop from Florin Nita and Roman Yaremchuk clipped the bar. Romania’s application was encapsulated when the outstanding Dragusin, after sliding to block a right-sided cross, beat his chest and geed up their faithful. Romania had given them plenty to cheer.