Romania vs Bulgaria

Bulgaria's interior size proved decisive. With Vezenkov, Yordan Minchev and the playmaking of Dee Bost in the backcourt, Bulgaria consistently generated high-percentage looks near the rim while holding Romania to contested outside shots. The visitors' depth — seven players averaging double figures through the First Round — wore down a Romanian rotation heavily reliant on Russell's shot creation.

Romania's offence, which had clicked so effectively against Denmark, never found the same rhythm against a switched-on Bulgarian defence that collapsed on Russell and forced others to beat them.

Aleksandar Vezenkov (Bulgaria) — The former EuroLeague MVP and Sacramento King made an immediate impact in his return to the national team, having last played for Bulgaria in the 2025 qualifying cycle. Vezenkov led Bulgaria's offensive charge with a commanding all-around performance.

Dee Bost (Bulgaria) — The veteran point guard orchestrated the offence with precision, controlling the tempo and finding Vezenkov and Minchev for easy looks.

Daron Russell (Romania) — After dropping 34 points on Denmark, Russell once again carried the scoring load for Romania. But with Bulgaria keying on him defensively, his efficiency took a hit compared to the opening win.

Yordan Minchev (Bulgaria) — The big man provided a strong interior presence alongside Vezenkov, contributing on the glass and finishing around the rim to push Bulgaria past the century mark.

Bulgaria's 103 points reflected their superior efficiency inside the arc. In the First Round, Bulgaria shot 64.9% on two-point attempts (vs Romania's 51.9%), and that interior dominance translated directly to this matchup. The visitors also entered with a higher FT percentage (71% to Romania's 86.4%), though the gap in overall offensive output — 88.3 PPG for Bulgaria vs 89.0 for Romania entering the game — favoured the away side on the day.

The 17-point margin of victory also marked the 11th win in 12 competitive meetings between these Balkan neighbours, with Bulgaria holding a historic stranglehold on the series.

Both Group D teams now sit level on one win each — Romania beat Denmark 89–78 on 27 August, while Bulgaria defeated Romania 103–86 on 30 August. Denmark have yet to open their Second Round account.

With only one team advancing to the EuroBasket 2029 Qualifiers from Group D, every remaining fixture carries outsized importance. Romania will look to bounce back in their next outing, while Bulgaria have set the early benchmark as the team to beat in the group.

Romania's next match is scheduled in the November 2026 window. Bulgaria continue their campaign in the same window, with dates to be confirmed by FIBA.

Bulgaria arrived in Tulcea as the higher-ranked side (No. 55 in the FIBA World Ranking, vs Romania at No. 62) and played like it. Vezenkov's presence transformed Bulgaria from a competitive side into the clear group favourite, while Romania must find secondary scoring options to support Russell if they are to challenge for the top spot.