Sports weekend
The latest from football, men's and women's handball
Eugen Nasta, 29.11.2024, 13:45
FCSB football team’s Europa League home game against Greek challengers Olympiakos Piraeus ended in a blank draw this past Thursday. Holders FCSB in the last half hour of the game were one man shy on the pitch since Daniel Birligea got twice yellow-booked. We recall in 2023 Olympiakos Piraeus won Europe’s third-tier competition, Conference League.
Olympiakos had the upper hand all throughout the final part of the match, yet FCSB put on an excellent defensive game and eventually took a step further to advancing to the Europa League’s next phase. As we speak, three rounds ahead of the final part of the group stage FCSB are 10th-placed. We recall the first eight teams advance straight to the League’s round of 16.
25th- to 36th-placed teams as well as the defeated teams in the playoffs will be eliminated from competition. On December 12 in Germany, FCSB play Hoffenheim. Then on January 23rd, FCSB play Azeri team Qarabag. FCSB will then play Manchester United on January 30, at home.
Also in news from football, matches counting towards the Romanian Super league’s 18th round are scheduled at the weekend. On Friday, FC Botoşani go against Farul Constanţa, while Rapid Bucharest are pitted against Petrolul Ploieşti. In Clinceni on Saturday, Unirea Slobozia face Hermannstadt Sibiu, then in Buzău, the local side Gloria take on Politehnica Iasi. Alao on Saturday, Dinamo play a home match against Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe.
On Sunday in Craiova, Universitatea play CFR Cluj. Round 18’s last two fixtures are scheduled on Monday, when Universitatea Cluj are pitted against UTA, while Oţelul Galaţi face FCSB. Universitatea Cluj are at the top of the table with 30 points. With 28 points, Universitatea Craiova, CFR and Dinamo follow suit.
In the Champions League in men’s handball, on Thursday Dinamo Bucharest sustained a serious 25 – 34 defeat by Sporting Lisbon. For Dinamo, it was the fourth consecutive defeat in the ongoing season. After nine rounds and on a par with 4th-placed team, Fuchse Berlin, with 10 points, Dinamo are 5th-placed according to the rankings of Group A.
A new edition of the European women’s Handball Championship kick-started on Thursday. Romania has been included in Group B, alongside Montenegro, Serbia and the Czech Republic. Romania will play all its fixtures in Debrecen. On Friday, Romania is pitted against the Czech Republic.
On Sunday, Romania plays Montenegro, while on Tuesday, our national squad takes on Serbia. Competing in the final tournament are 24 teams, distributed in six groups, The first two teams in each group advance to the mainstage, where they will then be distributed in two groups of six teams each.
