Romanian midfielder Lucian
Sanmartean provided the crucial pass enabling his Saudi team Al-Taawoun to
secure a 1-nil home win against Lokomotiv Tashkent in a fixture counting
towards the Asian Champions League’s Group A. Al-Taawoun, who are managed by
the Romanian coach Constantin Galca, are playing for the first time in this
competition. In the match against Lokomotiv Tashkent, Al-Taawoun’s Abdulrahman
Al-Barakah also hit the post early into the second half. Lucian Sanmartean was
on the pitch for 87 minutes, being replaced by Abdullah Kano. Dubai’s Al Ahli,
another team managed by a Romanian, Cosmin Olaroiu, also got off to a good
start in the Asian Champions League, securing a 2-1 win against the Iranian
side Esteghlal, again in Group A.
In other news from football, the
Romanian teams competing in the domestic football championship will not be able
to play in the first league if they are insolvent or are about to become so.
This measure becomes effective beginning with the 2018-2019 football season.
The Romanian Football Federation’s Licensing Committee made this decision in a
bid to bring domestic football in line with European norms and regulations. The
Romanian Football Federation also seeks to avoid the situation in which
insolvent teams reaching the playoff stage are not able to play in the European
cups. Four League One teams are insolvent at the moment, namely Gaz Metan
Mediaş, Pandurii Târgu Jiu, ASA Târgu Mureş and CFR Cluj.
Finally in this football roundup
today, Viitorul Constanta’s under-19 team have missed their qualification for
the quarterfinals of the UEFA Youth League. In the round of last 16, Viitorul
sustained a nil-3 away defeat to FC Porto. They got to this stage of the
competition after wins against Sheriff Tiraspol, FC Zurich and FC Copenhagen.
Viitorul Constanta’s under-19 team managed by Nicolae Rosca are the holders of
the national title they won last summer.