LIVE SCORE | Slovacia – România: Bratislava friendly turns sour as two early Slovak goals stun Tricolorii
slovacia – românia is underway in Bratislava in a low-stakes friendly that quickly tilted in Slovakia’s favour; Slovakia struck in the 7th minute and again at the start of the second half while Romania plays without head coach Mircea Lucescu. Ionel Gane is leading the Romanian side on the touchline after Lucescu was taken to Spitalul Universitar following a faint in camp. The match is on at the Narodny Futbalovy Stadion / Tehelné pole and both teams are using the game to test personnel ahead of upcoming competitions.
Match snapshot: Slovacia – România lineups and decisive moments
Slovakia opened the scoring in the 7th minute when a header from David Hancko glanced off Romania’s Daniel Bîrligea and entered the net. The Romanian starting XI included Ionuţ Radu in goal with Nicuşor Bancu and Virgil Ghiţă in defence; Nicolae Stanciu captained the side. Slovakia’s XI featured Marek Rodak in goal, David Hancko and David Strelec among the starters, with Francesco Calzona listed as their coach.
The second goal arrived immediately after the break. Within seconds of the second half restart, David Strelec found the net to extend Slovakia’s lead. The match log records Strelec’s 46th-minute finish as the follow-up to pressure in Romania’s defensive third.
Substitution details and late-match developments are shaping the narrative: Romania named a 26-man squad for this friendly, and under the current international friendly regulations both teams agreed they could make up to eight substitutions across a maximum of three stoppages. The large bench was intended to give multiple players run-out opportunities in a non-competitive setting.
Immediate reactions and a player on the brink of debut
Marius Coman, forward for UTA included in the squad, is reported as having a strong chance to appear in the second half as staff make multiple changes. Coman reflected on his path to this moment: “It wasn’t in Romania; leaving for Spain was a bit harder, but I had a beautiful childhood there, ” Marius Coman, forward, UTA, said about his upbringing and challenges on the route back to Romania.
The coaching situation is notable: Mircea Lucescu will not be present in Bratislava after fainting in camp and being transported to Spitalul Universitar. Ionel Gane is listed as leading the team in Lucescu’s absence; the technical staff structure names Gane as the acting coach for the fixture.
Quick context
Romania enters the friendly after missing its final chance to reach the World Cup following a 0-1 playoff defeat to Turkey. The match in Bratislava serves primarily as a preparation and evaluation game for both teams.
What’s next — immediate outlook from Bratislava
Coaching staff on both sides are expected to use the remaining minutes to rotate heavily and assess fringe players ahead of forthcoming competitions; minutes for newcomers like Marius Coman are likely in the second half. This live update will conclude on the final whistle, but the fallout from this Bratislava fixture — and the fitness status of Mircea Lucescu after his hospital transfer — will shape Romania’s immediate planning and selection discussions after the match. The final note from the pitch in Bratislava will remain centred on the slovacia – românia result and how both teams interpret the takeaways for the next international window.
