Romania coach Victor Piturca has left Dinamo Bucharest striker Florin Bratu out of his final squad for 2008.
Injuries had already seen goalkeeper Danut Coman and midfielder Ovidiu Petre sent home along with uncapped midfielder Ciprian Deac.
That left 24 players at the Romanian training camp and Bratu, 28, was the unfortunate man to be dropped.
Piturca will now turn his attention to his side's friendly against Montenegro in Bucharest on Saturday.
Bratu, 28, has scored two goals in 11 games for Romania but has not featured since October 2007.
Coman, who was second choice behind Bogdan Lobont, broke his thumb in training on 24 May and was replaced in the squad by Eduard Stanciou.
Petre was forced to withdraw from the squad after injuring his knee playing volleyball in Turkey.
Inverness striker Marius Niculae, 27, gets his chance up front alongside Fiorentina's ex-Chelsea star Adrian Mutu.
"Everyone at the club is delighted for Marius and it is a just reward for his contribution this season," said Inverness boss Craig Brewster.
ROMANIA SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Bogdan Lobont (Dinamo Bucharest), Eduard Stanciou (CFR 1907 Cluj), Marius Popa (FCU Politehnica Timisoara)
Defenders: Cosmin Contra (Getafe), Gabriel Tamas (Auxerre), Stefan Radu (Lazio), Razvan Rat (Shakhtar Donetsk), Cristian Chivu (Inter Milan), Cristian Sapunaru (Rapid Bucharest), Dorin Goian, Sorin Ghionea, Mirel Radoi (all Steaua Bucharest), Cosmin Moti (Dinamo Bucharest)
Midfielders: Florentin Petre (CSKA Sofia), Paul Codrea (Siena), Razvan Cocis (Lokomotiv Moscow), Banel Nicolita (Steaua Bucharest), Adrian Cristea (Dinamo Bucharest)
Forwards: Nicolae Dica (Steaua Bucharest), Adrian Mutu (Fiorentina), Ciprian Marica (Stuttgart), Daniel Niculae (Auxerre), Marius Niculae (Inverness)
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~47~RS~)