Sports weekend
The latest from football
Florin Orban, 11.08.2023, 13:45
Three Romanian football teams on Thursday played their first-leg fixtures in the Conference League’s European competition’s third preliminary round. Farul Constanta had no problem securing a 3-nil win against Estonian title holders Flora Tallinn. Scoring for the Romanians were Denis Alibec on 40 minutes, Constantin Budescu in minute 79 and Portuguese Diego Queiros in extra time. If they outperform Flora Tallin on aggregate, Farul take on the defeated team in the tie pitting Azeri team Qarabag against HJK Helsinki (Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi of Finland, two teams playing their fixture in Europa League’s third preliminary round. We recall Azeri team Qarabag won the first leg, 2-1.
On home turf, Romanian Cup holders Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe and Kazakhstan;s vice-champion team Aktobe drew, 1-all. The guest team’s Brazilian footballer Elder Santana scored on minute 65. One minute from time, Sepsi’s Roland Varga levelled the score. The leg in Kazakhstan is crucial for the two teams qualifying efforts. In the play-offs, the winning team will most likely play Norwegian team Bodø/Glimt, a team that defeated Armenia’s Piunik Yerevan, 3-nil.
On Steaua Stadium in Bucharest, with more than 27 thousand fans in the stands, FCSB took on Danish team Nordsjælland. The match ended in a blank draw, although Danish vice-champions were one man why on the pitch from minute 59, when the Danish team’s Burkinabese footballer Adamo Nagalo was eliminated. Should they succeed a win in Denmark, FCSB will then go against the winner of the match pitting Azeri Sabah against Partizan Belgrad. In the first leg Azeri team Sabah won, 2-nil.
This coming weekend will see matches being played, counting towards Romanian football Super League’s fifth round. On Friday, FC U Craiova 1948 take on FC Voluntari. On Saturday, Oţelul Galaţi play a home game against Universitatea Cluj. In Iaşi, the local side Politehnica face Universitatea Craiova. On Sunday, an all-time derby is scheduled, pitting Rapid Bucharest against Petrolul Ploieşti. In Bucharest on Monday, Dinamo are pitted against FC Botoşani. Three fixtures were postponed, the one pitting FC Hermannstadt against FCSB, the match pitting CFR Cluj against Sepsi as well as the match pitting Farul against UTA Arad. After four rounds, FCSB are at the top of the table, with 12 points, followed by FC Voluntari, with 9.
