German Christoph Daum’s first match as manager of Romania’s national football team didn’t end up with the victory everyone in Romania was hoping for.

Romania was held to a draw by Montenegro on Sunday evening, September 4, on Cluj Arena in their first match of the qualifiers for the World Cup 2018 in Russia.

Romania had a modest performance and only managed to open the score after 85 minutes with a shot by winger Adi Popa. Montenegro leveled the score after just two minutes with a header by its star Stevan Jovetic.

Nicolae Stanciu, who recently became the most expensive Romanian player transferred from the local league to a foreign club, missed a penalty in the last minute of overtime.

Romania will have a difficult mission to qualify from Group E of the European qualifiers, where it will play against Denmark, Poland, Kazakhstan, Montenegro, and Armenia. Group favorites Poland were held to a draw (2-2) in Kazakhstan while Denmark started with a narrow home win (1-0) against Armenia.

Romania will go to Yerevan to play against Armenia, on October 8, and will then face Kazakhstan on October 11. On November 11, Romania will play against Poland at home.

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editor@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Echipa nationala de fotbal a Romaniei on Facebook)