Sports Weekend

Steaua Bucharest started out on the right foot in Group 1 of the Water Polo Champions League qualifiers, held in Het Ravijn, the Netherlands. Romania's champions defeated the host team ZPC Het Ravijn 15-9. In another game in the group, Primorac Kotor, of Montenegro, defeated Invictum Sarajevo, of Bosnia Herzegovina, 36-4. The group also includes the Hungarian side Vasas Budapest. Steaua is to play 2 matches on Saturday, against Invictum Sarajevo and Vasas Budapest, while on Sunday they will take on Primorac Kotor. The top 2 teams in the ranking qualify into the next stage of the competition, while the other teams will play in the EuroCup.

Romania's women's handball team drew against Austria, 32-all on Thursday, the first day of the Carpathians Trophy, a competition hosted by the Romanian town of Bistriţa. In the debut match for manager Florentin Pera, the Romanian national team avoided a defeat with 2 goals scored in the very last minute of the game. Cristina Neagu was Romania's top scorer, with 11 goals. In the first match of the day, Serbia beat Spain 30 - 28. Two matches are scheduled for Friday: Austria vs. Spain and Romania vs. Serbia. Romania is preparing for the EURO 2022, a competition to be held in Slovenia, North Macedonia and Montenegro this November. The Romanian team will play in Group C, against the Netherlands, France and North Macedonia.

Matches are scheduled this weekend in the 12th round of Romania's football Superleague. Universitatea Craiova take on FC Voluntari on Friday, while on Saturday FC Mioveni play against FC U Craiova at home, and CFR Cluj are facing Petrolul Ploieşti. On Sunday, FC Hermannstadt play against Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe, Farul Constanţa against UTA, and FCSB against FC Argeş, on the National Arena in Bucharest. On Monday, FC Botoşani take on Universitatea Cluj, and Chindia Târgovişte on Rapid Bucharest. At the moment, Farul and Rapid top the charts with 24 points, followed by Hermannstadt, with 22. (AMP)