Sports week-end

The sports highlights this week-end in Romania.

Florin Orban, 28.02.2014, 13:00

Ski jumping This weekend, the central Romanian town of Rasnov is playing host to a new event as part of the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup. Competing are 46 athletes from 13 countries: Japan, Germany, Russia, Slovenia, Norway, Austria, France, Italy, the US, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Finland and Romania. The lineup also includes Carina Vogt of Germany, the new Olympic champion in Sochi; Sara Takanashi of Japan, who currently has the highest number of wins in the World Cup; as well as Daniela Iraschko-Stolz of Austria, the first woman to fly over 200 meters. Romania will be represented by Daniela Haralabie. Aged 16, she is the first Romanian athlete ever to qualify to a World Cup ski jumping event.

Football This weekend sees a new leg in the Romanian First League championship. Two matches are scheduled on Friday: Viitorul Constanta will play CFR Cluj, while Universitatea Cluj will take on Astra Giurgiu at home.

On Saturday, Politehnica Timisoara will go up against Sageata Navodari. The highlight match of the round will feature Bucharest rivals Steaua and Dinamo. In 129 encounters, Dinamo has won 45 games, as compared to 39 wins for Steaua. The remaining 45 games ended in a draw. Steaua on the other hand has a better goal-average, with 176 goals scored and 172 conceded. Of the 64 matches played on home turf, Steaua won 23, drew in 22 and lost 19. The first ever match pitting the two teams was played on November 21, 1948, when Dinamo defeated CSCA, as Steaua was known at the time, final score 1-nil. Steaua Bucharest has prevailed in the last six confrontations with Dinamo, of which 5 in the domestic competition and one in the Romanian Cup finals of 2011. Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, ranked 7th in WTA standings, has been invited to officially kick-off the match played on Ghencea Stadium in Bucharest.

On Sunday, FC Botosani will play FC Brasov away from home, Otelul Galati will travel to Ploiesti to meet the local side Petrolul, and Pandurii Targu Jiu will play visitors from Ceahlaul Piatra Neamt. Another two matches are scheduled on Monday: Corona Brasov will face Concordia Chiajna and FC Vaslui will play CS Gaz Metan Medias. Ahead of the 21st round, Steaua Bucharest tops the league tables with 48 points, followed by Astra Giurgiu with 45 points and Petrolul Ploiesti with 41 points.