Sports weekend

Football

Florin Orban, 01.08.2023, 23:45

Three Romanian football teams this past Thursday advanced to the European Competition Conference Leagues third preliminary round. Farul Constanţa secured its qualification in Yerevan defeating Armenias title holders Urartu, 3-2. Urartu had a 2-nil advantage at half time, yet Farul Constanta came from behind and scored, through Dragoş Nedelcu, in minute 53 and through Denis Alibec, in minutes 57 and 92. We recall than in Ovidiu, in the first leg of the tie against Urartu, Farul had also won, 3-2. Farul Constanta will next play Estonias title holders, Flora Tallinn.

Romanian Cup winners, Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe, secured a 4-nil win against ŢSKA Sofia. Scoring for Sepsi were Cosmin Matei on minute 19, when the Romanian turned a penalty kick into a goal, Croatian Adnan Aganovic on 70 minutes, Roland Varga, in minute 90, and Sepsis Albanian footballer Isnik Alimi, who in extra time turned a penalty kick into a goal. In the first leg in Sofia, Sepsi had also won, 2-nil. In the Conference Leagues third preliminary round, Sepsi are pitted against Aktobe of Kazakhstan.

FCSB is the third Romanian team to have advanced to the third preliminary round, winning both legs of the tie against ŢSKA 1948, 1-0 nil and 3-2, respectively, yet the win was definitely a heart-throbbing one since in Bucharest, the Bulgarian opponents has a 2-1 advantage during the game. On Thursday, scoring for FCSB were Croat Damian Djokovic on minutes 27 and 82, and Octavian Popescu, who sealed the fate of the match in extra time. FCSB will next take on Denmarks vice-champions, FC Nordsjaelland.

The fourth Romanian team that played in the Conference league, CFR Cluj, lost on aggregate, after a 1-all home result and a 1-2 defeat away, against Turkeys Adana Demirspor. CFRs Vasile Mogos turned a penalty kick into a goal on 68 minutes.

The coming weekend will see matches being played, counting towards the Romanian football Super leagues 4th round. On Friday, UTA are pitted against Poli Iaşi while Universitatea Craiova face Hermannstadt. On Saturday, FC U Craiova play an away game against FC Botoşani, while in Medias, Universitatea Cluj face Dinamo Bucureşti. On Sunday, in Ploiesti, the local side Petrolul take on Farul Constanţa, while on Steaua stadium in Bucharest, FCSB are pitted against CFR Cluj. On Monday, Sepsi Sfintu Gheorghe play Oţelul Galaţi, while FC Voluntari face Rapid Bucureşti. In the as-it-stands table, FCSB, are at the top, with 9 points. With 7 points each, CFR and Sepsi follow.