Bellamy's Hagi Pain as Wales Boss Eyes Improvement Wales will face Romania for the first time since 1993, with the match set for Saturday in Bucharest. The encounter carries personal significance for Wales head coach Craig Bellamy, who recalls the heartbreak of Romania ending Wales' hopes of qualifying for the 1994 World Cup. At 14 years old, Bellamy watched Romania defeat Wales twice in World Cup qualifying, with Gheorghe Hagi scoring three of Romania's seven goals across the two matches. Hagi, now coaching Romania, will face Bellamy's side for the first time in his second managerial stint with the team. Bellamy described Hagi as an "incredible talent" and acknowledged the lasting impact of the 1994 campaign. He recounted watching Romania's 5-1 victory in Bucharest in 1992-93, noting that Hagi's goal in that match was "quite a lucky goal." Bellamy also mentioned the performance of Wales' goalkeeper, Neville Southall, who he said was "not his best moment at that time." The memory of that loss remains vivid for Bellamy, who emphasized the emotional weight of the upcoming match. Wales' recent performance in away friendlies has been poor, with the team winless in their past 16 matches since November 2008. The record is a point of frustration for Bellamy, who highlighted the need for improvement ahead of the Nations League A campaign. "Our friendlies are not great when you look at the records," he said, adding that the last away win was in 2008. The match against Romania represents an opportunity to end the summer on a positive note and build momentum for the Nations League, where Wales will face Portugal, Denmark, and Norway. Captain Ethan Ampadu emphasized the importance of the game as a final chance to refine preparations for the Nations League.#romania #wales #craig_bellamy #bucharest #gheorghe_hagi
Super Chess Classic Preview: Praggnanandhaa to take on Firouzja in opener Indian Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa will open the Super Chess Classic in Bucharest with a match against French player Alireza Firouzja, marking the first classical event of the year as part of the Grand Chess Tour. The 10-player all-play-all tournament features a total prize pool of USD 350,000, with an additional USD 125,000 bonus and a first prize of USD 100,000. Praggnanandhaa, who has dropped to world ranking 16 in live ratings following a mediocre performance in the recent Candidates’ tournament, faces a favorable draw with five white games out of nine rounds. The Indian player is the sole representative from India after world champion D. Gukesh withdrew from the classical format, leaving his seat to Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov, who had previously challenged Gukesh in the world championship. Sindarov, now the dominant force in the elite circuit, dominated the Candidates’ tournament with an all-time best performance, earning the right to challenge Gukesh later this year. His victory in the World Cup last October and strong start to 2026, including a win at the Tata Steel Masters, solidify his status as a key contender. In the Super Chess Classic, Sindarov will face Romanian Deac Bogdan-Daniel in the first round. The event’s top seed is American Fabiano Caruana, who will open against Dutch player Jorden van Foreest, a rising star who recently defeated world number one Magnus Carlsen in the Te Pe Sigeman tournament. Van Foreest, ranked 20th in the world, has maintained consistency in recent competitions. Another notable pairing includes Dutch Anish Giri facing French Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, who has an impeccable record in the Grand Chess Tour.#praggnanandhaa #grand_chess_tour #firouzja #bucharest #sindarov
