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How will Romania's win against Portugal go down in national history?

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Betting experts Chicken Dinner look at past results between Romania and Portugal and assess what possible scorelines may compare with great moments in Romanian history

Perhaps not the most eagerly anticipated match of the tournament so far, except by Romania, as they get to win. No country can be more grateful than Romania at the expansion of the World Cup in 2003 to 20 teams, and the introduction to their pool of a team they can confidently expect to beat. And comfortably.

Previously, their World Cup victories had been by the narrowest of margins, then the changes in 2003 brought Namibia into their group and suddenly Romania could stretch their legs. Portugal are expected to play a similar role of sacrificial lamb. So with such a happy, point-laden day in store for Romania, how will the game against Portugal compare to other great days in Romanian history?

Date: 1893.
Event: Birth of actor Edward G Robinson in Bucharest, who never won an Oscar in spite of some majestic performances, yet who lives on as the inspiration for the voice of the Simpsons' Chief Wiggum.
Response: Indifference
Same as: June 2007.Romania's last World Cup build up game, 28-16 against Namibia, a team they really ought to be demolishing every time they meet. Doesn't bode well for piling up points against Portugal.

Date: 1959.
Event: Nutty playwright Eugene Ionesco writes the play Rhinoceros, in which an indifferent Frenchman sits and drinks while the townsfolk turn into rhinos.
Response: Applause, general puzzlement
Same as: March 2006. Romania 27, Portugal 3. The last time these two teams met. A win, some tries, but why can't Romania make greater headway against such an insignificant side?

Date: 1476
Event: Aggressive little princeling Vlad the Impaler, surname Dracula, dies on the battlefield, possibly assassinated. His head is preserved in honey and sent to the Ottoman Emperor, and his legend is preserved in Bram Stoker's "Dracula."
Response: Relief
Same as: October 2003, Romania 37, Namibia 7. After three previous narrow World Cup wins, at last Romania prove they can win a game by more than two points.

Date: 1972.
Event: Attention-seeking rule-bender Ilie Nastase wins the the US Open in five sets against Arthur Ashe.
Response: Unrestrained delight (except amongst "Nasty's" fellow professionals, who don't much care for his "gamesmanship.")
Same as: February 2001. Romania 47, Portugal 0. Romania's best result against Portugal this century, sends a message to the World that Romania cannot be ignored. World ignores message.

Date: 1976
Event: Nadia Comeneci, then 14, becomes the first ever gymnast to be awarded a perfect 10 at the Montreal Olympics. Seventies scoreboards were not capable of displaying a "10.0," so they made do with a "1.0".
Response: Acclaim at the highest levels of society. In recognition of her stash of gold medals, Comeneci becomes a "Hero of Socialist Labour."
Same as: April 1996. Romania 92, Portugal 0. Romania's best performance ever against Portugal. Unfortunately for the Romanian XV, the Hero of Socialist Labour gong went out with the communists.