Sports Weekend

Florin Orban, 12.02.2021, 12:11

Last week saw the matches of the Romanian Football Cup’s round of 16. On
Tuesday, second leaguer Petrolul Ploiești clinched a 3-0 home win against Poli
Iași. On Wednesday, Chindia Târgoviște defeated Farul Constanta 3-0 on the
latter’s home turf. Another second leaguer, Universitatea Cluj secured a 2-1
win against UTA Arad, while Dinamo Bucharest obtained a 1-0 victory against archrivals
FCSB. On Thursday, Viitorul Pandurii Târgu Jiu, also from Romania’s second
football league, defeated at home Gaz Metan Mediaș 1-0 while Astra Giurgiu obtained
a 2-1 away victory against Politehnica Timișoara. Universitatea Craiova outperformed
FC Botoșani 1-0 in an away game. Second leaguer Dunarea Calarasi has qualified
for the quarters after the withdrawal of Turris – Oltul Turnu Magurele.

This weekend will see a series of football games counting towards the 23rd
leg of Romania’s first football league. Only one game on Friday when FC Arges
is pitted against Viitorul Constanta. On Saturday, Chindia is up against UTA in
Buftea, southern Romania, while Dinamo Bucharest, at home, will be playing
Sepsi Sfantu Gheorghe. On Sunday, Astra Giurgiu will be playing in Iasi,
northern Romania, local side Poli. Universitatea Craiova will be up against
Academica Clinceni while the city of Medias will be hosting the game opposing
Hermannstadt and FCSB.

Monday will see the leg’s last two games: FC Botosani versus Gaz Metan
and CFR Cluj against FC Voluntari. FCSB ranks first in the standings with 48
points followed by CFR with 47.

Romania’s water polo side
is in the Netherlands attending a qualifying tournament for Tokyo Olympics. Our
team is part of the C group together with Croatia, Olympic champions in 2012
and vice-champions in 2016, Germany, Russia the Netherlands and France. Romania
will take on Croatia on Sunday in their first game. The quarterfinals have been
scheduled for February 19th the semis a day later and the finals on
21st February. The first three sides are qualified for the Olympic
Games.

The Romanian women’s handball side CSM Bucharest will be playing French
side Metz in the Champions League’ group A on Saturday. A day later in group B,
SCM Râmnicu Vâlcea plays on their own ground another French side Brest
Bretagne. These are the last games the Romanian sides will be playing in the
group stage. Last week, the European Handball Federation amended the
regulations allowing all the sides in the groups to qualify for the round of
16. In the European League Dunărea Brăila will be up against Fleury Loiret of
France. After four games Dunarea is ranking 3rd in their group.

(bill)