A classy 2-1 victory against England last Monday announced Romania as a force to be reckoned with at France '98 and ensured they would qualify for the second round.

It also meant they could expect to secure themselves a second round match against Croatia rather than the more fancied Argentines if the remaining games in Group H went to form.

``I prefer Croatia but at this level no games are easy, not for any team,'' coach Anghel Iordanescu said. He hinted he might rest some of the players who beat England, perhaps some who have a single yellow card against them which would then be annulled before the second round.

Romania have defied the critics - especially at home - who said they relied too much on an ageing generation that peaked at the 1994 World Cup, when they reached the quarter-finals.

Valencia's youngstriker Adrian Ilie has been one of the revelations of the tournament, but it was 33-year-old inspirational captain and playmaker Gheorghe Hagi who showed that he still has what it takes by setting up the first goal against England.

Both Romania's Iulian Filipescu and Tunisia's Jose Clayton are suspended after collecting their second yellow cards.