Radio România Internațional

Tag: basketball

  • Sports flash

    Sports flash

    U-BT Cluj-Napoca basketball team has succeeded a heart-throbbing qualification in the quarterfinals of EuroCup men’s competition, having defeated in the round of 16 Lithuanians opponents Wolves Vilnius, 100-99, away. U-BT’s top scorer was their US player Zavier Simpson, with 25 points, 5 recoveries and 14 assists.

    In the quarterfinals, U-BT Cluj-Napoca take on Spain’s Valencia Basket, a team they have already gone against in the EuroCup’s group stage. In both legs of the tie, the Spaniards won, 105-96 in Cluj-Napoca and 108-80 in Valencia and are at the top of the table in Group B. We recall U-BT Cluj-Napoca play the EuroCup’s quarterfinals for the second year in a row, having qualified straight from the competition’s group phase in 2024.

    In news from women’s volleyball, Volei Alba Blaj grabbed a 3-2 away win against Hungarian side Vasas Budapest, in a fixture counting towards the first leg of the CEV Cup semifinals. Romanian vice-champions won after two hours of play and made a giant leap forward to the CEV Cup’s finals.

    With 23 points, the Ukrainian Elizaveta Ruban was the Romanian team’s most efficient scorer. The return leg against Vasas in scheduled on March 11 in Blaj. We recall Volei Alba Blaj has unsuccessfully played four times in European Cups finals, in 2018, in the Champions League, in the CEV Cup, in 2019 and 2023, and in the Challenge Cup in 2021.

    At the 2025 edition of the European Seniors’ Indoor Athletics Championship in Apeldoorn, The Low Countries, Romania has sent a seven-strong delegation, with four athletes proving their mettle in the women’s version of the competition, while other three, in the men’s version.

    Alina Rotaru – Kottmann competes in the long-jump event, Andreea Taloş, Diana Ana Maria Ion, and Răzvan Cristian Grecu, in the hop, step and jump event, Maria Mihalache, in the 60m race, Alin Ionuţ Anton, in the 60m hurdles race and Andrei Rares Toader, in the shot-put event.

    Andreea Miklos, in the 400m race and Stella Rutto in the 3, 000m race initially included the delegation, will not participate in the competition. Recently Miklos has sustained an injury while Rutto was unable to gather the required number of points for qualification. Daniela Stanciu has not been included in the delegation either. We recall Daniela represented Romania at the Paris Olympics in 2024, in the high-jump event and is now recovering after an injury.

  • Sports Roundup

    Sports Roundup

     

    Romania came out 2nd in Group B of the Rugby Europe Championship, the second most valuable rugby tier on the continent after the 6 Nations Tournament. Romania failed to win the group after being defeated by Portugal in Botoşani on Saturday, 34-6. The semi-finals will take place on March 1. Romania will play away against Georgia, and Portugal will take on Spain, at home. A place among the top 4 teams in the competition ensured the Romanians direct qualification to the 2027 World Cup.

     

    In handball, games took place in the women’s European competitions over the weekend. In the Champions League, Group A, on Saturday, Gloria Bistriţa-Năsăud were defeated at home by the French team Metz, 34-8, and on Sunday, CSM Bucharest won in Norway against Storhamar, 32-21. One round before the end of the group stage, CSM are in 3rd place, and Gloria in 7th. In the last round, the 2 teams will play each other in Bucharest. CSM has secured its qualification in the play-offs for the quarter-finals. The Bistriţa team needs a win in the last round, coupled with a defeat of the Norwegian team Storhamar by the group leader, Metz. In Group B, Rapid did not play, as the team they were supposed to meet, namely the Norwegian group Vipers Kristiansand, withdrew from the competition. Rapid is in 7th place and, in order to qualify for the quarter-final play-offs, they must not lose in the last round, in Podgorica, against Buducnost.

     

    In the EHF European League, both Romanian teams that played on Saturday won their respective matches. In Group A, Dunărea Brăila defeated the Spanish team Elche 32-29 away from home, and in the next round they will take on Ikast (in Denmark). In Group B, SCM Râmnicu Vâlcea defeated the German team Borussia Dortmund at home, 32-27, and will meet the Norwegian team Larvik on Sunday at home. Both Romanian teams lead their respective groups.

     

    The Romanian Men’s Basketball Cup was won by CSO Voluntari, who Sunday won the final against CSM CSU Oradea, 93-83. CSO Voluntari thus won the third Romanian Cup in its history, after the 2021 and 2022 seasons. The Oradea team has played eight finals so far, and has lost all of them.

     

    We end with football. Over the weekend, matches counting for round 27 of the Romanian Super League took place. On Friday, Hermannstadt won against Sfântu Gheorghe 3-2, and Universitatea Craiova beat Oţelul Galaţi 2-1 at home. On Saturday, UTA won in Ploieşti against Petrolul 1-0, and Farul Constanţa beat Dinamo 2-0 in Bucharest. On Sunday, the game in Iaşi between Poli and CFR Cluj ended in a 1-all draw, then FCSB defeated Gloria Buzău 2-0 away from home. The last two matches of the round, pitting Universitatea Cluj against Unirea Slobozia and Rapid Bucharest against FC Botoșani, are scheduled on Monday. FCSB leads the standings with 49 points, and Craiova follows with 48. (AMP)

  • Sports flash

    Sports flash

    Romanian men’s basketball team U-BT Cluj-Napoca this past Wednesday in a EuroCup Group B fixture grabbed a 88-77 away win against Italian opponents Umana Reyer Venezia. U-BT Cluj Napoca’s US player Zavier Simpson was the team’s most efficient player, with 25 points, 6 recoveries and 7 assists. Holders U-BT Cluj-Napoca are 5th-placed according to Group B rankings. This coming Tuesday they will take on Turk Telekom, at home.

    Also on Wednesday, in a FIBA Europe Cup match, Group M, CSM CSU Oradea sustained a heart-throbbing 86-87 away defeat by French team Dijon, after extra time. CSM CSU’s Romanian international player Kris Richard was the most efficient scorer, with 27 points, 6 recoveries and 4 assists. Romanian vice-champions have sustained the third defeat in a row and now will have to win all the pending matches if they want to maintain their chances to gain a place in the quarterfinals. On January 29th, CSM play a home game against PAOK Thessalonica.

    In men’s volleyball, CSM Corona Brasov sustained a 1-3 defeat by Italian opponents Trentino Itas. The fixture was held this past Wednesday and counted towards the first leg as part of CEV Cup’s playoffs. European champions Trentino Itas secured their win after one hour and 42 minutes of play. The second leg is scheduled on January 30 in Trento.

    In news from tennis, as part of the year’s first Grand Slam tournament, the Australian Open, Victor Cornea and Mariano Navone have advanced to the second round of the men’s doubles event. In the inaugural round this past Thursday, the Romanian-Argentinean pair defeated the pair made of Christian Harrison of the USA and David Pel of the Low Countries, 6-4, 7-6.

    Cornea and Navone have thus secured a cheque worth 58, 000 AUD and were granted ATP 90 points according to the doubles’ rankings. In the second round, Cornea and Navone are in for a daunting task in the match against the all-German pair made of Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz, fourth-seeded at the Australian Open.

  • Sports flash

    Sports flash

    Monica Niculescu and Fanny Stollar on Thursday advanced to the women’s doubles finals as part of the WTA 250 tennis tournament in Tasmania’s Hobart, an event with 275,000 USD in prize money all told. On Thursday, the Romanian-Hungarian pair in the quarterfinals defeated the second-seeded Norwegian Japanese pair made of Ulrikke Eikeri and Makoto Ninomiya, 6-1, 7-6. Monica and Fanny play straight in the finals as their scheduled semi-finals opponents, pulled out of competition. They were third-seeded US player Sofia Kenin and Magda Linette of Poland.

    Romanian motorcyclist Emanuel Gyenes on Wednesday succeeded the best result so far at the ongoing edition of the Dakar Rally. In the fourth leg of the moto class, Gyenes came in 22nd, arriving 25 minutes and 21 seconds later than the winner, Australia’s Daniel Sanders. Also, Gyenes is 12th-placed according to Rally 2 ranking. Emanuel Gyenes is also the leader according to the ranking of pilots competing with no technical assistance.

    Romania’s national water polo team sustained yet another defeat in the second game as part of the World Cup in Otopeni, nearby Bucharest. In Division One’s Group C, on Wednesday Romania sustained a 12-16 defeat by Japan, being placed at the bottom of the table according to the final ranking. In Group A, Hungary are at the top of the table. Greece won Group B, while the United States, Group C. In Group D, Croatia emerged at the top of the table.

    Group winners have advanced straight to the quarterfinals alongside Japan, the best second-placed team. On Thursday, three other games are scheduled for the other places in the quarterfinals, as Spain takes on Serbia, France play Montenegro, while Romania goes against Georgia.

    In news from basketball, U-BT Cluj-Napoca on Wednesday sustained at 79-91 home defeat by Israeli opponents Hapoel Jerusalem, in a Group B confrontation as part of EuroCup men’s competition. Haopel thus took their revenge as in October 2024 in Bulgaria’s Samokov, U-BT Cluj Napoca grabbed a 81 – 73 win. According to Group B tables, Spain’s Valencia are at the top, with 12 wins and two defeats. Holders U-BT Cluj-Napoca are 5th-placed with seven wins and seven defeats. U-BT’s next scheduled fixture is this next week’s away game against Italian opponents of Umana Reyer of Venice.

  • Sports flash

    Sports flash

    Romanian women’s basketball team Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe have succeeded their first win in EuroCup’s Group C. On Wednesday, holders Sepsi grabbed a 70-63 home win against Greek opponents Proteas Voulas. Sepsi had the lead all throughout the game save for a short period of time when Proteas took the lead in the middle of the third quarter.

    Sepsi’s top scorer was their American player Ciera Johnson with 24 points and 14 recoveries. In group C’s other fixture, in Belgrade, red Star sustained a 78-80 defeat by Spain’s IDK Gipuzkoa. In Group C, with 8 points, Gipuzkoa are at the top of the table, while Red Star are the runner-up team, with 6 points. Following in descending order are Sepsi and Voulas, with 5 points each.

    In the last-but-one round, Sepsi travel to San Sebastian for their return leg against Gipuzkoa. Advancing to the round of 32 are the first two teams in each group, then the best four 3rd-placed teams and the four 4th-placed teams in Women’s EuroLeague.

    In men’s basketball, on Wednesday U-BT Cluj-Napoca managed a heart-throbbing 86-78 home win against Italy’s Umana Reyer Veneţia in EuroCup’s Group B. Holders U-BT Cluj Napoca have thus succeeded their third consecutive win, in the wake of a sluggish season debut, with three defeats on their record sheet. Umana Reyer Venice had the upper hand for more than three quarters of play, securing a 65-56 advantage ten minutes from time. Yet U-BT had come from behind in the last quarter, securing their win the final part of the game.

    U-BT Cluj Napoca’s best player was the French Adam Mokoka, with 16 points, 4 recoveries and 4 assists. U-BT will next play against Türk Telekom of Ankara, away.
    In Romanian Cup in Football, the first round of the group phase is scheduled this week. On Wednesday, in a Group B fixture, on the National Arena in Bucharest, in Romanian football’s all-time derby, Dinamo Bucharest was pitted against FCSB, also from Bucharest.

    FCSB trounced Dinamo, 4-nil. Scoring were Alexandru Băluţă, in minute 56, then Brazilian Luis Phelipe scored on 70 minutes, while Marius Ştefănescu scored in minutes 81 and 88. We recall that 10 days ago, holders FCSB had also won the League game against Dinamo, 2-nil.

  • Sports flash

    Sports flash

    CSO Voluntari women’s volleyball team on Wednesday grabbed a major away win in The Champions league, defeating Rabotnicki Skopje of North Macedonia, 3-nil. The fixture counted towards the first leg of the competition’s third round. The second leg is scheduled on October 9 in Mioveni. Should they secure a win in the double-legged tie against Rabotnicki, CSO Voluntari will be included in the League’s group E, jointly with Italy’s Scandicci, Polish side Bielsko-Biala and German team Stuttgart.

    In women’s basketball, US Romanian-born player Sabrina Ionescu yet again compelled recognition thanks to her most recent performance. Ionescu’s presence was crucial for New York Liberty, the team that secured an 88-84 win against Las Vegas Aces, in WNBA, the North-American professional women’s basketball league. In the last quarter of the match, Ionescu scored and provided most of the assists, so much so that Liberty had a 2-nil aggregate lead in the semi-final against Aces. New York Liberty are one win away from qualifying to the final.

    In men’s basketball, in EuroCup, on Wednesday U-BT Cluj-Napoca sustained a 73-84 away defeat by French opponents Bourg-en-Bresse, in a match counting towards EuroCup’s Group B. For holders U-BT Cluj Napoca, it was the second defeat in a row, in EuroCup’s ongoing season. In the third round on October 9, U-BT Cluj-Napoca will play a home game against Spanish side Valencia Basket.

    In the fifth round of the National League, on Wednesday, women’s handball team CSM Bucharest defeated Gloria Bistriţa-Năsăud. 33-30, in a match hosted by the Multi-Purpose Sports Hall in Bucharest. Holders CSM took their revenge as on September 7 in Bistritsa, the local side Gloria, defeated CSM, 30-26, in a fixture counting towards the Champions League’s first round. CSM’s top scorer was Cristina Neagu, with 7 goals. Bistritsa’ top scorer was Russian handballer Valeria Kyrdyasheva, with six goals scored. Also on Wednesday, vice-champions Rapid Bucharest defeated Handball Club Zalău, 32-29, while Râmnicu Vâlcea Municipal Sport Club trounced Măgura Cisnădie, 32-21.

  • Sports roundup

    Sports roundup

    Corona Brasov ice hockey team as part of the Erste Liga regional competition’s derby, in Budapest on Sunday defeated Hungarian opponents Ferencváros, 5-3, in a re-enactment of Erste Liga’s 2023 final. Scoring for Corona were Hungarian player Daniel Koger, the Russian Albert Zaghidulin, the naturalized Russian Evgheni Skacikov, who scored two goals, and US player Jared VanWormer.

    Also on Sunday and in extra-time, ACSH Gheorghieni secured a 3-2 home win against Ujpest Budapest. In their most severe defeat in recent years, Sport Club Miercurea Ciuc were outclassed, nil-8, by DEAC Debrecen at home.

    In men’s basketball domestic championship, CSM Oradea grabbed a 72-61 away win against defending champions U-BT Cluj Napoca. For the latter team it was the debut game in the domestic championship’s ongoing season. CSM Oradea’s best basketball player was the Romanian international, US-born Kristopher Jameil Richard, with 22 points and 4 recoveries. U-BT Cluj Napoca’s most efficient scorer was NBA team Oklahoma City Thunder’s former player, Zavier Marquis Simpson of the USA, with 20 points, 6 recoveries and 4 assists.

    Matches counting towards the Romanian Super league football championship’s 11th round were played at the weekend. On Friday, Petrolul Ploiesti secured a 4-1 home win against Fc Hermannstadt, then in Bucharest, Dinamo and FC Botosani drew, 2-all. On Saturday in Iasi, in the east, the local side Politehnica defeated Universitatea Cluj, 1-nil. UTA Arad grabbed a surprising 3-1 win against CFR Cluj, away. Also on Saturday, in Bucharest, the match pitting Rapid against Otelul Galaţi ended in a blank draw.

    In Buzau on Sunday, the local side Gloria grabbed a 1-nil home win against Farul Constanta, then FCSB defeated Sepsi OSK, 1-nil, away. Universitatea Cluj are still at the top of the as-it-stands-table, with 22 points. Following in descending order are Otelul Galati and Petrolul Ploiesti, with 18 points each. The former team have a pending match on their record sheet.

  • Sports flash

    Sports flash


    Romanian national football team’s goalie, Horaţiu
    Moldovan, has been transferred to Spanish club Atletico Madrid. The Spanish club
    paid to Rapid Bucharest football cub the sum stipulated in the termination contract,
    worth 800,000 Euro. Also 800, 000 Euro will be Horatiu Moldovan’s income for his
    first season with Atletico. Rapid was quick to fill in the gap in their pool of
    regulars, signing up Farul Constanta’s goal keeper, Marian Aioani, for whom the club paid 400,000 Euros.


    CFR Cluj football team has a new head-coach, Adrian Mutu. CFR sacked
    their former head-coach, the Italian Andrea Mandorlini, in the wake of CFR’s recent
    poor results. The straw that broke the camel’s back was CFR’s defeat this past
    weekend by the Superleague’s bottom-of-the-table team, FC Botosani. According to
    the domestic championship’s as-it-stands table, CFR are the runner-up team, 11
    points behind top-of-the-table team, FCSB.


    CSM CSU Oradea stays in the race for the quarterfinals as part of FIBA
    Europe Cup men’s basketball team. In a Group N home match on Wednesday, CSM CSU
    Oradea defeated Dutch opponents Leiden, 90-77. Second to German team Chemnitz, CSM
    CSU Oradea are the runner-up team in the group, with two wins in five games
    played. Italian team Varese are 3rd-palced in the group, also with two wins in
    4 games played. The first two teams in the group advance to the quarterfinals. CSM
    CSU Oradea play their decisive game at home, on February 7.


    Romanian women’s handball teams CSM Bucureşti and Gloria Bistriţa have won
    their debut games according to the National League’s away series. Holders CSM
    Bucharest defeated HC Zalău, 31-21, while Gloria defeated CSM Târgu Jiu, 25-18.
    CSM are at the top of the table, with 42 points, while Bistritsa are 2nd-placed,
    with 33, in 14 games played.

  • Sports flash

    Sports flash


    In a Group B fixture counting towards EuroCup mens basketball team, U-BT Cluj-Napoca on Wednesday grabbed a 85-81 away win against German opponents ratiopharm Ulm.




    American-born Romanian player Patrick Richard was U-BT Cluj-Napocas top scorer, with 27 points and 3 assists on the record. Also in Group B, on Tuesday Italian team Trento defeated Polish team Slask Wroclaw, 85-79. On Wednesday Greek team Aris Thessalonica defeated Montenegrin team Buducnost Podgorica, 76-75, then French team Bourg-en-Bresse defeated Lithuanian opponents Lietkabelis Panevezys, 104-71, while Turk Telekom grabbed a 83-73 away win against Spanish team Dreamland Gran Canaria. U-BT Cluj-Napoca are 3rd-placed in Group B and have already booked their ticket for the competitions play-off. This coming Wednesday U-BT Cluj-Napoca play a home game against Italian team Trento.




    In FIBA Europe Cups Group N, CSM CSU Oradea sustained a 98-101 away defeat by German opponents Niners Chemnitz, after extra time. CSM CSU Oradeas top scorer was American-born player Nijal Pearson, with 22 points and 7 assists. With 8 points in 4 games, Niners Chemnitz are at the top of the table in Group N. CSM CSU Oradea follow, with 5 points. 3rd-placed are Low Country team Leiden, while 4th-placed are Varese of Italy, with 4 points in 3 games played The first two teams in descending order qualify to the quarterfinals. CSM CSU Oradea play their last two fixtures in the group at home, against Leiden, on January 24th and Against Varese, on February the 7th.




    In mens volleyball, Arcada Galati sustained a nil-3 away defeat by Lvi Prague of the Czech Republic. Romanian holders Arcada Galati are 4th-placed according to Group Es final rankings. Italys Civitanova are at the top of the table. Second-placed are Lvi Prague, while third-placed are Greenyard Maaseik of Belgium.




    As part of the ongoing Australian Open, tennis tournament, in the first round of the womens doubles, this past Wednesday the Romanian-Brazilian pair made of Monica Niculescu and Ingrid Martins sustained a 3-6, 1-6 defeat by the all-Italian pair made of Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini. On Thursday also in the womens doubles and again in the first round, the Romanian-Croatian made of Sorana Cîrstea and Donna Vekic have sustained a 2-6, 5-7 defeat by the 9th-seeded pair made the Dutch Demis Schuurs and Brazils Luisa Stefani.




  • Sports flash

    Romanian women’s
    basketball team Sepsi Sfantu Gheorghe sustained a 61-71 home defeat by Spanish
    opponents Valencia Basket Club, The fixture counted towards Group A as part of women’s
    basketball Euro league. A first timer among European basketball’s first-tier teams,
    holders Sepsi are 7th placed according to Group A tables, with 13 points
    in 11 games, the same as 8th-placed, bottom-of-the-table Polish team
    Lublin. Sepsi’s next fixture is the away confrontation against Hungarian side
    Miskolc on January 18.


    In men’s
    basketball, in EuroCup’s Group B, U-BT Cluj-Napoca has succeeded its 10th victory,
    securing a 90-74 home win against Greek opponents Aris Thessalonicca. Holders
    U-BT have maintained their 3trd position in the group and will next play an
    away match against Germany’s ratiopharm Ulm.


    In FIBA Europe
    Cup, CSM CSU Oradea sustained an 81-101 away defeat by Italian challengers
    Varese, in a fixture counting towards the competition’s Group N. Romanian
    vice-champions have lost their second fixture in a row. According to group A’s tables,
    German team Chemnitz are at the top, with 6 points. The other three teams in
    the Group, Varese, CSM CSU Oradea and Low Countries’ Leiden have 4 points each.


    Romania’ s men national handball team on Friday plays its debut fixture
    as part of the European Championship in Germany. In Mannheim, Romanian goes
    against Austria in a Group B fixture. On Sunday, Romania takes on Spain, then
    on Tuesday, Romania plays Croatia. EURO 2024 kick-started on Wednesday, with Group
    A fixtures.


    In Düsseldorf, France outclassed North Macedonia, 39 to 29, while Germany
    defeated Switzerland, 27 – 14. After a 28-year gap, Romania has regained its
    place among the teams vying for a top position in Europe. Romania last participated
    in a European championship in Spain, in 1996, when our national squad was 9th-placed.


    For the
    Romanian Super League football teams, winter training sessions are in full swing.
    On Wednesday, in Turkey’s Antalya, FC Voluntari defeated Azeri opponents Turan
    Tovuz, 2-nil, while Universitatea Craiova drew against fourth-league German
    team Greifswalder, 1-all. Also on Wednesday, in Hungary, UTA Arad defeated Hungarian
    second-league team FC Ajka.



  • Sports flash

    Sports flash



    Fixtures counting towards European basketball competitions were played on Wednesday. In the European first-tier womens competition, the Euroleague, Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe have sustained yet another defeat. Romanian holders were thrashed by Turkish opponents Fenerbahce Istanbul, 110 to 63. A first-timer in the Euroleague, Sepsi are bottom-of-the-table in Group A. In the wake of the six matches they have played so far, Sepsi have a winless record sheet. Sepsi Sfantu Gheorghe will next week travel to France, for a fixture against ASVEL Lyon.



    In the second-tier womens European basketball competition, FIBA EuroCup, in Group C, CSM Constanţa sustained a 87-78 away defeat by Lithuanian squad Kibirkstis. Romanian vice-champion team sustained their fifth defeat in the group, in a similar number of fixtures. Next week, CSM Constanta ply French team Angers, away.



    In the mens version of FIBA EuroCup, U-BT Cluj-Napoca on home turf were thrashed by the winners of the FIBA EuroCup 2023, Dreamland Gran Canaria of Spain, 92 to 70. Romanian title holders are second placed in Group B, with 6 wins and 2 draws. Top of the table are Dreamland Gran Canaria, with 8 wins. U-BT Cluj-Napocas next fixture is the home match against Lithuanian opponents Lietkabelis Panevezys, on November 29.



    In Europes mens third-tier competition, FIBA Europe Cup, CSM CSU Oradea have earned their place among the competitions top 16 teams. In Group J, CSM CSU Oradea came in second, having grabbed a 93-74 home win against Legia Warsaw this past Wednesday. In Group B, Baschet Club Sibiu sustained a 71-84 away defeat by Polish opponents Anwil Wloclawek. For Sibiu, it was the sixth defeat in six games played.



    In news from mens volleyball, in the Champions Leagues Group E, Arcada Galaţi sustained a nil-3 defeat by Italys Cucine Lube Civitanova. Arcada Galati as an absolute first have qualified to the Champions Leagues Group stage, yet they sustained the defeat after one hour and sixteen minutes of play. In Group Es other fixture, Czech team Lvi Prague grabbed a 3-nil away win against Belgian team Greenyard Maaseik. Arcadas next fixture is this coming Wednesdays home confrontation Greenyard Maaseik of Belgium.





  • Sports weekend

    Sports weekend

    Romanian women’s national basketball team on Thursday,
    November 9, grabbed a 82-70 home win against Iceland. The fixture counted
    towards Group F as part of the 2025 preliminaries of the European Championship
    2025. In Group F’s other game, Turkey defeated Slovakia, 75-40. Booking their
    ticket to the final tournament will be the winning team in all eight groups, save
    for Group 1. Joining them will be the best four second-placed teams. Romania’s next fixture is a home game against Slovakia, on
    Sunday, November 12.


    On an
    indoor clay court in Serbia’s Kraljevo, as part of the Billie Jean King Cup’s
    playoffs, Romanian national women’s tennis team faces Serbia on November 10 and
    11. The winning side plays in the final tournament’s qualifiers, while the
    defeated team will continue in Group I. Romania’s lineup for the game against
    Serbia is made of WTA number 98 according to the women’s singles rankings and WTA
    number 240 according to women’s doubles rankings, Jaqueline Cristian, Gabriela Ruse,
    WTA 127th according to women’s singles rankings and 37th
    placed according to the doubles rankings, Irina Bara, 190th-ranked according
    to women’s singles classification and 130th-ranked according to women’s
    doubles standings, Anca Todoni, 259th in the singles’ rankings and
    858th in the doubles’
    rankings. Joining them is Monica Niculescu, WTA number 933 according to the
    singles rankings and 41st-placed, according to the women’s doubles rankings.


    In
    the Champions League in Women’s Handball this coming Saturday, CSM Bucharest receive the visit of Hungarian side Schaeffler, in a Group A fixture. In a Group B
    confrontation on Sunday, Rapid Bucharest play Norwegian team Vipers Kristiansand,
    also on home court. In the preliminary round as part of the European women’s Handball
    League, Dunarea Braila travel to Germany, for a match against Dortmund.


    Fixtures
    counting towards the Romanian Football Super League’s 16th round are
    scheduled at the weekend. On Friday, Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe play Rapid Bucharest,
    while on Saturday, Universitatea Cluj face Petrolul Ploiești, Politehnica Iași
    are pitted against CFR Cluj and Farul Constanța take on FC Hermannstadt. On
    Sunday, FC Botoșani play FC Voluntari, CSU Craiova face Dinamo București, while
    FCSB are pitted against FCU Craiova. On Monday, UTA Arad face Oțelul Galați. FCSB are at the top of the as-it-stands table, with 31
    points, followed by CFR Cluj, with 30, and Rapid Bucharest, with 29 points. .


  • Sports Flash

    Sports Flash

    The Romanian Football Cup schedules, this week, new matches from the group stage, namely from the second leg. On Tuesday, in group A, Corvinul Hunedoara, from the second league, defeated, at home, the trophy holder, Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe, score 1-0, and in Târgovişte, Petrolul Ploiesti defeated Chindia, a team from the second echelon, score 2- 0. On Wednesday, Hermannstadt defeated Progresul Pecica, from the third league, 6-0 away from home. In group B, CSA Steaua Bucharest, from the second league, ended in a nil draw 0-0, with Rapid Bucharest, at home. On Thursday, two more matches will be played: CSM Alexandria against FC Botoşani and the Cluj derby: Universitatea against CFR. In group C, on Tuesday, in Galati, Oţelul ended in a 1-all draw the match with FCSB. On Wednesday, FC U Craiova 1948 won away from home, score 1-0, the match against SCM Zalău, a team from the third echelon. On Thursday, in Oradea, FC Bihor will be up against Dinamo. In group D, on Wednesday, CS Tunari, from the second league, and FC Voluntari ended the match in a 1-all draw, and Craiova University defeated UTA Arad 1-0 in Oradea. Thursdays third match of the group will be Gloria Buzău with Farul Constanţa. The two top ranking teams from each group qualify for the quarter-finals.



    Now news from volleyball. Steaua Bucharest qualified for the round of 16 of the Challenge Cup in men’s volleyball. The military team defeated the Luxembourg team Lorentzweiler, score 3-0, on Wednesday, in Bucharest, in the second leg of the preliminary round. Steaua also won away from home, 3-1. The next opponent of the Romanian team will be the Austrian team Ried im Innkreis, the first match being scheduled for November 29, away from home.



    Let’s move on to women’s basketball. The Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe team was defeated at home by the Hungarian team Diósgyőr, with the score 80-68, in the fifth stage of Group A of the Euroleague. The Romanian champions, debuting in the first European echelon, have lost all the matches played in the group so far. Sepsi will play their next match on November 22, away from home, against group leader Fenerbahce Istanbul.



    From men’s basketball, let’s recall that U-BT Cluj-Napoca dramatically defeated the Greek team Aris Thessaloniki away from home, with the score 61-59, in EuroCup, group B. The Romanian champions achieved their fourth victory in the second continental interclub competition. U-BT will play the next match on November 8, at home, against the German team Ulm. (LS)

  • Sports Flash

    Sports Flash

    In the first round of the
    preliminaries for the women’s Euroleague in basketball, Romanian side Sepsi
    Sfantu Gheorghe secured a 59-54 home win against Latvian side TTT Riga. The
    first half of the game was balanced, but the visitors managed to get the
    upperhand in the second half. However, the Romanians managed to regain their
    cutting edge towards the end of the match and sealed the points at a five-goal
    margin. The seconşd match is due in Riga on September 27th.




    Romanian wrestler Cătălina Axente
    has failed to qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris although she went closest to
    qualification out of all the athletes representing Romania at the World Wrestling
    Championships in Belgrade. In the 76 kilogram category Catalina went fifth
    after losing the match for the third position against Tatiana Renteria of
    Columbia. Axente also lost the qualifying match against Milaimys Marin of Cuba.




    The city of Sibiu in central
    Romania is hosting a men’s tennis tournament with 73 thousand Euros in prize
    money. As Filip Jianu and Cezar Cretu lost to their opponents in the very first round of the competition,
    Romania no longer has any representative in the single competition. Jianu was
    outperformed by Italian Edoardo Lavagno 7-6, 6-4. Creţu, who benefitted a
    wild-card lost to another Italian, Giovanni Fonio, who won the match 7-6, 6-3.




    The UEFA has sanctioned Romania’s
    Football Federation and the country’s national football side is to play one
    match without its fans. The sanction came after the incidents during the
    Romania versus Kosovo in the EURO 2024 qualifiers.


    According to Agerpress news
    agency, the reasons behind the decision are the political and racist slogans
    chanted by the Romanian fans who threw torches and other objects to the pitch,
    and who also blocked public access ways during the match.




    So, under the UEFA decision, fans
    will not be able to encourage their favourite side on October 15th
    against Andorra, when only children up to 14 years old will be allowed on the
    stadium. The UEFA has also fined the Romanian Football Federation with 52 thousand
    euros.




    (bill)

  • Sports flash

    Sports flash


    The Romanian national football squad secured a 2-nil win against Kosovo, in a match hosted by the National Arena in Bucharest. The fixture counted towards the Euro 2024 preliminaries Group I. Scoring for Romania were Nicolae Stanciu, in minute 83, and Valentin Mihăilă, three minutes into added time. In minute 58, Romanias Nicolae Stanciu had failed to score from the spot, not to mention the fact that Kosovo were one man shy on the pitch. The referee interrupted the game on 18 minutes because a group of Romanian fans in the Southern stand unfolded a banner writing Kosovo is Serbia. The match was resumed after 50 minutes. The Romanian Football Federation condemned the reckless behavior of the Southern stand fans. The Bucharest Gendarmerie identified 458 individual who were part of the group of supporters who perpetrated antisocial deeds. In Group Is two other matches, Switzerland defeated Andorra, 3-nil, while Israel defeated Belarus, 1-nil. Switzerland are at the top of the table, with 14 points, followed by Romania, with 12 points, and Israel, with 11 points. In descending order, the other teams are Belarus, Kosovo and Andorra, with 4, another 4 and 2 points, respectively.



    The Romanian Basketball Federation has launched the new identity of the national seniors leagues, mens and womens version of the league, As the result of a commercial partnership with Getica 95, with 500,000 Euros worth of funding, the two competitions will bear the name of the new sponsor, Getica 95 National Womens Basketball League and Getica 95 National Mens Basketball league. The National Womens Basketball League and the National Mens Basketball League as an absolute first have the same sponsor, which proves that gender equality works, stated the president of the Romania Basketball Federation Carmen Tocala.



    Romanian tennis player Simona Halep has received a 4-year ban from competition following doping allegations, the International Tennis Integrity Agency announced on Tuesday. The Agency announced suspension was ruled in Halep s case on two counts, since she tested positive for Roxadustat at the US Open, in 2022, and irregularities were identified in Haleps Athlete Biological Passport. Simona Halep announced she would appeal against the decision.