Angry Romania coach Edward Iordanescu hits back at ‘shameful’ claims his team ‘arranged’ to draw against Slovakia so that both teams would progress to Euro 2024 last 16

Romania head coach Edward Iordanescu was angered by suggestions that his team and Slovakia agreed to play out a draw on Wednesday so that they would both progress at Euro 2024.

The two sides went into the final round of fixtures in Group E with three points, knowing that four would be enough to reach the round of 16.

Indeed, a 1-1 draw did see them both go through – as Romania topped the table, ahead of Belgium in second, while Slovakia went through as one of the four best third-placed teams.

All four teams in Group E finished with four points, including Ukraine – who were eliminated due to having the worst goal difference.

On the eve of Wednesday’s clash with Slovakia, former Romania midfielder Danut Lupu sensationally claimed that a draw had been ‘arranged’.

Iordanescu watched his team draw 1-1 against Slovakia in their final Euro 2024 group game

Danut Lupu claimed pre-match that Romania and Slovakia had ‘arranged’ to play out a draw

Lupu – who won 14 caps between 1989 and 1998 – told AS.ro: ‘We will qualify, draw with Slovakia. It’s arranged, it would be a shame if we both didn’t go. Why risk it? Would be a shame! At that level the players get along very well! Why risk it? Why get in an accident?’

Iordanescu did not reference Lupu specifically following the game, but he strongly denied accusations of collusion.

‘I believe it was clear that both teams gave everything for 80 minutes,’ Iordanescu told reporters. ‘Everybody gave their best. To speak before a game and to throw mud to the teams and to the players and to our work and to our dignity is shameful.

‘They should have waited to see and then judge us, so this was shameful, it was not nice. They threw this garbage to us but not just to us but to the team, to our fans and to everybody.

‘We showed that we have character. Romania all the time fights with character and if we were going to lose and go home, we would have gone home but with our dignity intact.’

Slovakia took the lead 24 minutes into Wednesday’s contest thanks to a goal from Ondrej Duda before Romania levelled from a Razvan Marin penalty kick later in the first half.

Iordanescu said suggestions his team colluded with their opponents were false and ‘shameful’

Ondrej Duda (right) opened the scoring on Wednesday to put Slovakia 1-0 up on 24 minutes

Romania’s equaliser came courtesy of a penalty converted by midfielder Razvan Marin (left)

Neither team appeared to hold back, with Slovakia registering 13 shots and Romania nine.

Romania will now take on the Netherlands in the round of 16, while Slovakia will face England.