Sports Weekend
News from Romanian football
Florin Orban, 04.04.2025, 13:45
This past week saw the quarterfinals of Romania’s Cup in football. On Tuesday, in Ovidiu, Farul Constanţa beat the third-tier team Unirea Alba Iulia, 3-0. On Wednesday, Hermannstadt defeated the second league team CSM Reşiţa 4-0, and Rapid Bucharest outplayed Metalul Buzău, also from the second league, 3-0.
On Thursday, the most interesting match took place, between the top league teams CFR Cluj, playing on home turf, and Universitatea Craiova. At the end of regular time, the score was 1-1. Craiova’s Ştefan Baiaram scored on 50 min, with the equaliser brought by Cluj’s Liberian player Mohammed Kamara 9 minutes later. The score remained unchanged after extra time, so penalty shootouts followed. CFR converted all kicks, while Mihai Căpăţână of Universitatea missed. In the semifinals, on April 23, CFR Cluj will take on Farul Constanţa, and Rapid Bucharest will face Hermannstadt.
Also in football, the 3rd round of the final stage in the Romanian Super League is scheduled this weekend. In the playouts, where the teams that finished the regular season in the lower half of the standings play to avoid relegation, 2 matches are scheduled on Friday: Oţelul Galaţi vs Politehnica Iaşi and Petrolul Ploieşti vs Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe. On Saturday, in Arad, UTA will take on FC Botoşani. On Sunday, in Sibiu, Hermannstadt face Gloria Buzău, and finally, on Monday, in Ovidiu, Farul Constanţa will play Unirea Slobozia.
In the play-offs, where the fight for the champions title takes place, on Saturday FCSB play against Universitatea Cluj at the National Arena in Bucharest. On Sunday, the same stadium hosts the derby between the Bucharest teams Rapid and Dinamo. On Monday, in Cluj, we have a rematch of Thursday’s Romanian Cup game between CFR Cluj and Universitatea Craiova.
Universitatea Craiova and FCSB lead the standings, with 32 points each. CFR Cluj follow, with 30 points. Universitatea Cluj are 4th place with 29 points, and 5th come Dinamo, with 26. The last place in the play-offs is held by Rapid, with 24 points. (AMP)
