Organisers soak up criticism after sponge fiasco in Romania

BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romania fans complained the country had been made to look stupid after two men armed with meagre car sponges battled hopelessly to soak up water from a rain-drenched pitch ahead of their Euro 2016 qualifier against the Faroe Islands.

Footage of the groundsmen desperately sponging the surface and squeezing minimal amounts of water into buckets ahead of Sunday's match caused a stir with fans taking to social media to label organisers a laughing stock.

The game, which Romania won 1-0, took place but only after a an interior ministry helicopter was drafted in to hover over the centre of the pitch in an effort to disperse surface water at the Ilie Oana stadium in Ploiesti.

While Group F leaders Romania were underwhelming against the minnows from the Faroe Islands, the ire of fans was directed towards organisers.

"It's unbelievable," Romania fan Mihai said. "They made us look like idiots."

It was only the second competitive game that Romania have played in the town of Ploiesti, located 56kms north of the capital Bucharest and they may not be in a hurry to return after coach Anghel Iordanescu joined in the chorus of criticism about the condition of the pitch.

Romania top the Group F table with 13 points from five matches, one point ahead of Northern Ireland.

(Reporting by Angel Krasimirov; editing by Toby Davis)