Sports roundup

Florin Orban, 22.06.2020, 13:20

We
begin with good news from handball. The Romanian women’s side CSM has received
a wildcard to participate in the next edition of the Champions League due to
unfold in a new format. Only SCM Ramnicu Valcea initially qualified for the
League after they had ended on the first position in the championships. Brest
Bretagne, TSK Moscow, Ferencvaros Budapest, Bietigheim, Podravca Koprivnica and
Krim Ljubljana have also received wildcards.

Romanian men’s side Dinamo
Bucharest also hoped for a wildcard for the Champions League, as they had been
edged out of the present edition without any defeat. However, their dreams have
been shattered by the European Federation whose decision allows Dinamo to play
in the new continental competition the European Handball League directly in the
groups’ stage.

The Dutch Martine Smeets,
one of the world’s best left wings, has been transferred to CSM Bucharest. A
world champion and bronze medalist in the European Championship with the Dutch
side, Smeets comes after a season at French team Metz. She is the fourth player
to have joined the Romanian side for the future season, after French Siraba
Dembele, Spanish Alexandrina Cabral Barbosa and Barbara Lazovic of Slovenia. On
the other hand Norwegian player Nora Mork has announced her departure from CSM
Bucharest.

Last weekend saw the matches
counting towards the championship of Romania’s first football league. On Friday
Universitatea Craiova secured a 2-1 win against Astra Giurgiu and CFR Cluj on
Saturday clinched a 2-0 away win against FC Botosani. On Sunday in Bucharest
FCSB and Gaz Metan Medias ended in a draw their game, two-all. CFR tops the
table in the first league with 36 points followed by Craiova with 29.

On Sunday FC Voluntari
secured a 1-0 home win against Poli Iasi while Sepsi Sfantu Gheorghe managed a
3-1 away win against Dinamo Bucharest.

(translated by bill)