Football matches counting towards the first
leg of Romania’s Cup semifinals were played on Wednesday and Thursday. On
Wednesday, the local side Sepsi Sfantu Gheorghe
trounced visitors Politehnica Iasi, 5-1. Poli drew first blood on five minutes,
when Andrei Cristea scored from a penalty kick. Sepsi provided the equalizer thanks
to their Dutch player Anass Achahbar, on 25 minutes. In the second half, Sepsi’s
Lóránd Fülöp scored on 52 minutes. Sepsi Sfantu Gheorghe’s performance was way
above par on the pitch, for the last fifteen minutes of regular time, with the team from Covasna scoring
no less than three goals. Sepsi’s Dutch footballer Achahbar scored his second
goal in minute 75. On 81 minutes Politehnica Iasi’s keeper Denis Rusu fatefully
scored an own goal. On 86 minutes, Sepsi’s Swiss footballer Goran Karanović sealed
the fate of the game, scoring for the fifth time.
The Cup’s other semifinal on Thursday saw FCSB grabbing a 3-nil away win
against Dinamo. FCSB threw quite a few of the substitute players on the pitch,
yet they dominated the game all along. FCSB’s Adrian Popa provided the opener in
32 minutes. The second goal was scored by Darius Olariu in minute 74. FCSB’s
Cristian Dumitru scored the third goal on minute 83. Both matches were played
in empty stadiums. The semifinals’ return leg is scheduled on July 8.
League One fixtures are scheduled at the weekend. Matches counting
towards Group 1’s fifth round are to be played on Friday, as Gaz Metan Medias
takes on FC Botosani. CFR Cluj takes on Universitatea Craiova in a home game,
on Sunday. This coming Monday, FCSB travels to Giurgiu, in the south, for a fixture
against the local side Astra. CFR Cluj are at the top of the table; Cluj are
four points clear from Craiova. In League One’s Group 2, fixtures count towards
the championship’s sixth round. On Friday, FC Hermannstadt goes against Academica
Clinceni. On Saturday, Chindia Targoviste faces Poli Iasi, while Sepsi Sfantu
Gheorghe faces Viitorul Constanta. On Monday, Dinamo plays a home game against
FC Voluntari.
( Translation by Eugen Nasta)
—–