LYON, June 15: An outstanding goal from striker Adrian Ilie in the 45th minute gave Romania a deserved 1-0 victory over Colombia in a World Cup Group G match today.Romania looked the sharper side throughout the game and their slick passing was reminiscent of their sparkling display at USA '94. Ilie's goal crowned an excellent individual display.Seconds before half-time he sprinted down the left, beat one defender as he ran into the Colombian area and struck the ball with the outside of his right boot over advancing Colombian goalkeeper Farid Mondragon.Ilie's partnership in attack with Viorel Moldovan caused plenty of problems for the Colombian defence. Colombia offered little in mid-field and were disjointed in attack until the final 10 minutes.The Romanian strike force came close to breaking through as early as the 11th minute when Moldovan threw himself at a cross from Ilie but failed to make contact and the ball flashed across the goal.Four minutes later Mondragon was forced into a finedouble-save. He parried a fierce drive from Ilie and then saved well from Moldovan following in on the rebound.The battle between the two veteran number 10s Romanian playmaker Gheorghe Hagi and Colombia's Carlos Valderrama was clearly won by Hagi. The Romanian saw plenty of the ball and provided excellent service for his forwards.Colombia were mostly restricted to long range efforts, the best of those coming on the hour when Freddy Rincon's blistering 25-metre shot flew just past the post.Adolfo Valencia's bustling presence up front after coming on at the beginning of the second half failed to have an immediate effect but the Colombians finally found some urgency in the final 10 minutes.Valencia could have equalised near the end but his powerful drive was parried away by Bogdan Stelea.
