Romania 1 Faroe Islands 0 in Euro 2016 preliminaries Group F

Romania’s national team has defeated Faroe Islands on Sunday evening in Ploiesti, 1-0 (1-0), in a match counting for the fifth round of Group F of the 2016 European Championship qualifiers.

The only goal of the match was scored by Claudiu Keseru (photo) in the 21st minute.

The match was attended by 14,000 spectators.

Romania tops Group F with 13 points, followed by Northern Ireland with 12 points.

Romania remain top of UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying Group F, Claudiu Ke?erü’s fourth goal for his country just about enough to see off the Faroe Islands in Ploiesti, uefa.com informs.

Ke?erü tidied up from a rebound in the 21st minute to put Romania in front, but Anghel Iordanescu’s side lost some of their sparkle after the break, the visitors threatening to follow up their sensational 1-0 win against Greece last time out with another eye-catching result on their travels.

Home fans could have no complaints after 30 minutes, goalkeeper Gunnar Nielsen the only thing that stood between the Faroes and oblivion. He made a superb early save from Raul Rusescu’s long shot, and fended away a Ke?erü effort after Mihai Pintilii sent him through on goal. However, the 28-year-old was wrong-footed for Romania’s opener. The defensive wall deflected Alexandru Maxim’s free-kick on to the post and Ke?erü was first to the loose ball.

The Faroese mustered only one shot in the first 45 minutes, but had begun to put up sterner resistance by the break. Nielsen kept their hopes up in the second half; on 65 minutes, he saved another Maxim free-kick with his left hand, then fended away Adrian Popa’s header from the rebound with his right.

Soon afterwards, Vlad Chiriche? had to rescue Romania, putting in a saving tackle to dispossess Joan Edmundsson as he bore down on Costel Pantilimon’s goal. Ke?erü hit the post on 78 minutes, and Nielsen saved well again from Maxim, but Pantilimon spared his side an ignominious draw as he got to a powerful Edmundsson shot in added time.