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Florin Orban, 18.05.2017, 14:05

Astra Giurgiu is the first finalist of Romanian Cup in football, the 2017 — 2018 edition. With Marius Sumudica at the helm, Astra this past Wednesday grabbed a 3-nil away win against Poli Timisoara, in a fixture counting towards the second leg of the semifinals. Scoring for Astra were Constantin Budescu, on 40 minutes, then Sergiu Bus in minute 49 and Viorel Nicoara, on 83 minutes. Poli Timisoara used their B team as they rested their first lineup. On Saturday, Poli will face Dinamo Bucharest in the League Cup final. Also, the team from Western Romania is trying really hard to avoid relegation.

On Thursday, the second Cup semifinal will pit FC Voluntari against CSU Craiova. In the first leg, FC Voluntari grabbed a precious 1-nil away win. Romanian Cup final is scheduled on May 27th, in Ploiesti.

Romanian vice-champion team in football Steaua Bucharest football Club FCSB, formerly known as Steaua has a new manager, Nicolae Dica. However, the manager brought by George Becali does not hold the Pro license, so for the time being head coach will be Viorel Tanase, a former Dinamo and Otelul Galati footballer. Tanase has so far coached second-league teams.

Steaua’s former football manager Laurentiu Reghecampf, will be heading towards the Arab countries. Most likely Reghecampf will train a team from the Emirates, with an annual income of a couple of million euros. Reghecampf had one more year to go from the contract he signed with Steaua Bucharest Football Club, FCSB, but he terminated his deal with the Bucharest club.

In the United Arab Emirates, Romanian Cosmin Olaroiu was designated the coach of the year. Since 2013 Olaroiu has been at the helm of Al Ahli. For the third time in the last four years, the Golden Ball of the football managers in the Emirates goes to Cosmin Olaroiu.