Danny Makkelie was the scapegoat after the World Cup qualifier between Romania and Bosnia & Herzegovina. According to Mircea Lucescu, the head coach of the Tricolorii, the decision to overturn the initially awarded penalty was 'unacceptable'.
Romania’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup suffered a painful blow on Friday night, not just because of a narrow 1-0 home defeat to Bosnia & Herzegovina, but due to a refereeing controversy that has ignited fury across the country.
What began as a tense and closely fought match in Bucharest turned into a national outrage, with Dutch referee Danny Makkelie at the center of an incident that may come to define Romania’s qualifying campaign.
In front of a packed and passionate crowd at the National Arena, Romania started with urgency, clearly aware of the importance of securing three points. Bosnia, disciplined and compact, looked dangerous on the counter-attack and struck first through Edin Džeko. The veteran striker found space in the box and converted coolly past the Romanian goalkeeper midway through the first half, silencing the home supporters. Despite the setback, Romania did not collapse. On the contrary, they took control of possession, pressed higher up the pitch, and began to dictate the tempo of the game. The equaliser seemed inevitable.
Then came the 69th minute the moment that would change everything. Romanian winger Valentin Mihăilă delivered a dangerous cross into the area. The ball deflected upward and struck the outstretched arm of Bosnia midfielder Benjamin Tahirovic. Makkelie, well positioned and without hesitation, pointed to the penalty spot. The stadium erupted. Romanian players celebrated what looked like a lifeline, and even the Bosnian defenders showed little protest initially. From every angle, the decision looked clear: the arm was raised unnaturally, and the ball clearly made contact.
But moments later, VAR intervened. Rob Dieperink, also from the Netherlands and overseeing the match from the VAR booth, advised Makkelie to review the incident. What followed was a long, tense delay. The referee walked to the pitch-side monitor and studied the footage, while the 50,000 fans in the stadium held their breath. Against all expectations, Makkelie returned to the field and overturned his original decision. No penalty. The stadium erupted again but this time in boos, whistles, and pure disbelief.
The Romanian players surrounded the referee, with several unable to hide their frustration. On the bench, head coach Mircea Lucescu looked stunned, then furious. The match resumed, but Romania never recovered from the psychological blow. Bosnia defended their lead with grit and intelligence, and despite a flurry of desperate attacks in the final minutes, the home side could not break through.
At full-time, the scoreboard showed 0-1, but the real story was just beginning. Lucescu did not hold back in his post-match comments. At 79 years old, the legendary coach, who has managed top clubs across Europe and returned to guide the national team during a transitional period, was visibly emotional. "It is unacceptable not to award a penalty when the ball hits the hand of a defender who raised his arm," he said. "It felt like everything was against us. I simply can’t find an explanation for why the penalty wasn’t given. It was clear. There are no excuses. This wasn’t just a mistake it was an injustice."
His words echoed the sentiments of an entire nation. Within minutes, Romanian television and social media were ablaze with slow-motion replays, screenshots, and furious commentary. Pundits and journalists united in disbelief at what they saw as a textbook case of handball. The country’s largest sports dailies ran scathing headlines the next morning. Referee Marius Avram, now a television analyst but once one of Romania’s top officials, was equally shocked. “I really don’t get what the referee was doing. It’s so obvious. Tahirovic had time to see where the ball was going and even reached for it. These things are clear. This is why we have VAR to correct errors, not to create them.”
The Romanian Football Federation (FRF) reacted quickly. Late Friday night, they announced their intention to file an official complaint to UEFA, requesting an explanation and demanding accountability. While UEFA is unlikely to alter the result or publicly reprimand the officials, the gesture reflects just how deep the anger runs.
For Romania, the implications are significant. Every point counts in World Cup qualification, and this match was seen as one of the must-win home fixtures. The loss leaves them trailing their rivals in the group and has placed enormous pressure on the remaining fixtures. Worse than the defeat, however, is the sense of injustice. There’s a belief that something was stolen from them not by Bosnia, but by those tasked with ensuring fairness.
The emotional impact of the decision was visible in the players. Captain Vlad Chiricheș was seen shaking his head as he left the pitch, while midfielder Nicolae Stanciu refused to speak to the media. One player reportedly broke down in the dressing room. This was not just a sporting defeat; it was a psychological wound that could affect the group moving forward.
Bosnia & Herzegovina, for their part, celebrated a hard-earned and valuable win. Edin Džeko’s goal proved enough, and despite the noise around the penalty incident, their players and coaching staff maintained composure. Head coach Ivaylo Petev refused to be drawn into the controversy, simply stating that he was proud of the team's effort and discipline in a tough environment.
As for the referee, Makkelie has yet to publicly comment on the incident, but the criticism is mounting. Known for officiating high-level matches, including Champions League ties and international tournaments, he is now facing some of the heaviest scrutiny of his career. Whether UEFA will quietly remove him from upcoming qualifiers or issue an internal review remains to be seen.
Romania will have little time to process the controversy. They return to action on Monday against San Marino, in what is expected to be a straightforward win. But after what happened in Bucharest, nothing feels guaranteed. Lucescu’s task now is not only tactical but emotional he must rebuild trust, restore belief, and prevent the controversy from poisoning the group’s mentality.
Friday night will not be forgotten easily. In Romanian football history, it will go down as one of those nights when the team gave everything, and yet, left the pitch empty-handed undone not by the opposition’s brilliance, but by a decision that no one, to this day, can fully understand.
