Romania were on Tuesday knocked out of the Euro 2008 competition after losing 2-0 to Group C winners Netherlands in a match played in Berne. The Romanians, who surprisingly went into their final game with a chance to advance to the quarter-finals, would have joined the Dutch in the next round had they won.
They could have even gone through had they drawn and the other group game between France and Italy in Zurich had also ended in a draw. Italy won 2-0 though and went through.
In a game in which Dutch coach Marco van Basten played his second string side, the opening goal was scored in the 54th minute by Jan Klaas Huntelaar from a Ibrahim Afellay cross.
Robin van Persie added a second three minutes from the end with a well-taken shot from inside the area after a defence splitting pass found him in space. The Arsenal forward went around two defenders before unleashing a powerful strike.
The victory sees the Netherlands win the group with nine points from their three victories, while Italy are second on four points. Romania had two points, while the two-time champions France will return home with just one point.
Italy will face Spain in the quarter-finals, while the Netherlands will take on either Russia or Sweden, the Earth Times reported.