Happy Easter 2010

or all the fans of Universitatea Craiova and not for them only, universitateacraiova.net wishes "HAPPY EASTER!"

Universitatea Craiova - FC Timisoara 1-2

Magera relaunched Timisoara in their race for the champion title through a goal scored in the last minute of the game.

The previous match convinced 20,000 viewers to choose the way to the stadium by three arguments stronger than choosing to celebrate Eastern at home: rithm, goal opportunities, goals!

In Drobeta Turnu-Severin the duel began in blue shades in the stadium and yellow and black colors on the field. In the first phase of Timisoara, Parks put a blanket over Craiova's defense and ideally served Goga. The striker scored in the empty goal, 0-1 ('7). Oltenian's attack deplored the lack of Florin Costea and the middle deplored the lack of the Prepelita. But the defense was Craiova's pride yesterday. V. Iliev scored for 1-1 with a great execution, by the heel! There were three main attributes of this goal: Wotte, because he showed to his pupils a great scheme, the excellent Firtulescu that centered from the left side, and the Bulgarian Iliev, captain of Universitatea Craiova for the first time in this game, who had a Brazilian execution. It was 1-1 at the break, although Piturca jr. tried with a head shot from the box to break the symmetry.

The guests remembered that they want to win this championship and they fought to get it. They increased the speed of the game. But Craiova had Merlier. The Belgian goalkeeper saved for Oltenia in front of Magera, left alone in the square at 10 meters, after a deflected shot of Alexa. At the last phase of the match, Sepsi centered in the square, Merlier could not keep that ball, and he deflected it to Magera. After his shoot, the score was 1-2 ('90+3).

Blue and white were greeted at Severin in a gala atmosphere. The match was sold out. They ran out of all the 18,500 tickets with two hours before the match. Fans stormed the gates of the arena two hours before the game, so the stadium was almost full 60 minutes before the start whistle. The two groups of supporters have respected each other, without incidents in the stadium. Timisoara had a gallery of about 300 fans. At the beginning of the match nearly 20,000 people started the uproar, the stadium was colored with thousands of blue and white flags.

Florin Costea has not been forgotten by the organizers. At first home match after his serious injury suffered in game against Politehnica Iasi, on the scoreboard were sequences with his best past actions. There were also posted messages of support for Florin. The supporters applauded his name for a long time.

Our team: Merlier - Bărboianu, Iliev, V. Găman ('67 R. Barbu), Bălace - Firţulescu ('68 Craciun), Ologu, Dilevski, Gângioveanu - Piţurcă ('85 Trica), M. Costea

Rapid Bucharest - Universitatea Craiova 0-1

With Florin Costea on a hospital bed, Universitatea Craiova went last night in Bucharest looking for some points which are very useful for the end of this football season. With a new system Craiova, 4-4-2, and with Ologu, a 20 years old kid, as a substitute for Florin Costea, Mark Wotte placed Prepelita and Dilevski as central midfielders.

Rapid scored in the first phase of the game, but their goal was canceled for an offside. Craiova had a shot of Dina (16') and the younger brother of Florin Costea, Mihai, missed a simple retrieval alone with Bornescu (19'). Mircea Bornescu, former goal-keeper of Universitatea Craiova in the last 4 years, is playing now for Rapid Bucharest.

After the break, Wotte realized that Sapunaru from Rapid, ex-FC Porto, is not so scary and took himself the risk to get out a midfielder, Ologu, and put a striker on, Alex Piţurcă. Although the hosts took over the game and they were dangerous for Silviu Lung's goal. Herea ('46) and Răduţa twice ('49, '57) did not beat Lung in good situations.

The end was played sharply, Dina had a bar on Bornescu's goal('70). At the other goal, Herea monumental missed one shoot, all alone with Lung('77), then Răduţa two meters from the goal ('78). In the last seconds of the game, Gangioveanu ('90+2) did a great shot in cross and that was the only valid goal of this game.

Some players from Craiova get an yellow card in this game, and Prepelita, Lung and Dina will miss for the next match, against Timisoara.

Our team: Lung - Bărboianu, V. Găman, Iliev, Bălace - Prepeliţă, Dilevski, Ologu ('46 A. Piturca), Gângioveanu - Dina ('70 Trica), M. Costea ('81 Firtulescu)

Florin Costea off

Florin Costea will be absent from the field for over 8 months, he had split the cross and collateral ligaments of his left knee.

Before the results of location, Costea still hope that will catch the end season: "I hope the injury is not very serious one. I hope I can catch the end of the season, thanks to the good God".

This is the second important football player loss for Universitatea Craiova in this season due to serious injuries, after the defender Ovidiu Dănănae.

He suffered a similar injury like Florin Costea in August 2009, in an international match of Romania against Hungary, and 7 months away he is still not recovered 100%.

Universitatea Craiova - Politehnica Iasi 2-1

A new great game played by Universitatea Craiova, a team who is looking for entertaining every day. This game was very nice to look at. It was very entertaining and Craiova really made a good match. In the 44th minute of the game, Florin Costea get injured by the goalkeeper of the opponent team.

He was replaced by Alex Piturca. Let's hope it is not something serious for the most important player of Universitatea Craiova. In the 62nd minute of the game, Vali Iliev, a new Bulgarian football player transfered by Craiova in this winter, scored for 1-0 and everything was just perfect for our team. Unfortunately in the 85th minute of the game Politehnica Iasi scored for a draw and Universitatea Craiova saw for a while the incredible situation to play in the second league next year.

That was only for 4 minutes, until Prepelita, the captain of Universitatea Craiova, scored again by a really nice head strike and Craiova came back to life again. I think I almost made a heart attack at that goal... 3 more points in the table and Universitatea can hope again.

Our team: S. Lung jr. – Bărboianu, V. Găman, Iliev, Bălace – Prepeliţă, Dilevski, Gîngioveanu ('69 Barbu) - Dina ('79 Trica) - M. Costea, Fl. Costea ('44 A. Piturca)

Gloria Bistrita - Universitatea Craiova 2-1

What a game! What a game! Craiova had 1-0 in the 3rd minute of it. F. Costea scored for Universitatea Craiova and everything seemed to be just fine for all the fans of Craiova. Actually the problems stared here. The referee of the game had another opinion and gave a penalty kick for Bistrita in the 34th minute of the game. It was a moment of mental block for all the audience. Nobody saw a contact in the penalty area. Everything was normal in the penalty area, but the referee said Bistrita deserve an 11m kick. Because of this, the score became 1-1 and it remained like that until the break time.

After the break Bistrita scored once more. This time it was a perfect valid goal, and Gloria took the lead of the game. In the 86th minute of the game, the goalkeeper of Gloria Bistrita, Albut, was redcarded. So their goal was succesfully defended by the scorer of the second goal, Hora. Universitatea Craiova could not get even in 8 minutes with one player more in the field and a striker of the opponent team defending the goal.

Our team: Lung - Bădoi, V. Găman, Iliev, Bălace, Barbu ('73 Gangioveanu), Prepeliţă, Dilevski ('68 Barboianu), M. Costea, F. Costea, Dina('62 Trica)

Universitatea Craiova - FC Brasov 3-0

Universitatea Craiova made a really wonderful game last Saturday. In the 25th minute of the game the score was already 3-0. In front of an assistance of 15,000 viewers, our team started in force the match.

Our goals were scored by V. Gaman('16), R. Barbu('25) and M. Costea('36). All these players are part of U21 Romanian national football team. Now Craiova is on the 14th place in the table. Let's hope our team will go up until the end of this season.

Our team: Lung - Bădoi, V. Găman, Iliev (Firtulescu), Bălace - Prepeliţă, Barbu, Dilevski - M. Costea, F. Costea ('80 Nicolae), Dina ('75 Trica)

Pandurii Tg Jiu - Universitatea Craiova 0-0

Universitatea Craiova made a good game this time. It was a really bad weather durring this match but both teams played good and the result was a consequence of the fight on the field. In this match, Barboianu was red carded and he will miss for the next game. F. Costea played only 1 minute because he had fever and was really sick.

Our team: Lung - Bădoi, V. Găman, Iliev, Buşu - Prepeliţă, Bărboianu, Dilevski, Gângioveanu ('54 Firtulescu) - Dina (F. Costea), M. Costea ('60 R. Barbu)

Universitatea Craiova - Gaz Metan Medias 1-2

Universitatea Craiova played the first game at home in this year. But the game was played in Drobeta Turnu-Severin, a city placed 120 Km to the west of Craiova. The stadium from Craiova is not possible to be used for a while so that Universitatea Craiova will play in Severin for the next 2 years.

Gaz Metan Medias did a good game and won without any doubt. Craiova tried hard to score and succeded in the minute 90+5 by Trica. Unfortunately this was not enough to get a good result. Another game lost for our team. Florin Costea missed a penalty kick in the 11th minute of the game.

Our team: Lung - Bădoi ('69 Trica), V. Găman, Iliev, Bălace - Firţulescu ('56 Dina), Bărboianu, Prepeliţă, Gângioveanu - M. Costea ('81 A. Piturca), F. Costea

Dinamo Bucharest - Universitatea Craiova 2-1

What a game, what a game! This is the game of the year in Romania. Universitatea Craiova must play its best against Dinamo Bucharest. And this time they did. Craiova came in Bucharest decided to do a perfect game. Unfortunately the referee was the main actor of this game.

Dinamo scored twice, but Florin Costea was no doubt faulted in the penalty area in the 13th minute of the game. The referee said: "come and play". No penalty, no card for Dinamo's defender, nothing. That was the moment which made an entire country being like a stone. Probably corruption...

Mark Wotte, the new Dutch trainer of Universitatea Craiova remained speechless. Such thing can not happen.

Our team: Lung - Bărboianu, Găman, Iliev, Bălace - Prepeliţă, Paunovic ('45 Trica), Firţulescu ('61 Gangioveanu) - M. Costea, Dina ('81 A.Piturca), F. Costea

Our goal was scored by Mihai Dina('19).

Friendly games in this winter

Universitatea Craiova played some friendly games in this winter. Our team prepared the next season in Turkey and in Bulgaria. The results of these games were:

- In Antalya, Turkey

Universitatea Craiova - Zenit Sankt Petersburg II 2-0

our goals: Dina ('50) and Craciun ('73)

Universitatea Craiova - Incheon United 2-2

our goals: F. Costea ('28) and M. Costea ('63)

Volgar Gazprom Astrakhan - Universitatea Craiova 2-1

our goal: M. Roman ('88)

Universitatea Craiova - SV Babelsberg ‘03 0-1

Universitatea Craiova - Zorya Lugansk 1-1

our goal: F. Costea ('30)

Universitatea Craiova - Spartak Nalcik 1-0

our goal: F. Costea ('5-pen)

- In Pomorie, Bulgaria

Universitatea Craiova - OFC Sliven 1-0

our goal: F. Costea ('71)

Otelul Galati - Universitatea Craiova 1-0

It was a winter game. On 12th of December, Craiova went in Moldavia to face Otelul (eng. The Steel) from Galati. There are not so much to say about this game. Only we lost another game and now will be a 3 months break. Maybe in springtime we will have a better team.

This was the last game for Eugen Neagoe as a trainer of Universitatea Craiova. Starting with 2010 Universitatea Craiova has a new trainer called Mark Wotte.

Our team: Lung - Bădoi, Stoica, Mitchell, Rose - Bărboianu ('82 M. Roman), Trică, Şoavă ('64 R. Barbu), Firţulescu ('58 V. Badea) - M. Costea, Dina

Universitatea Craiova - Steaua Bucharest 1-2

It was a very important game for all the fans of Universitatea Craiova. Unfortunately the result was not the one we expected. Maybe next time...

Our team: Lung - Bădoi, Găman, Stoica, Rose - Prepeliţă, Bărboianu, Şoavă, Firţulescu ('61 Wobay)- F. Costea, M. Costea ('78 V. Badea)

Our goal was scored by Prepelita ('15).

CFR Cluj-Napoca - Universitatea Craiova 2-0

It was a match without history. Our team: Lung - Bărboianu, Găman, Mitchell, Rose - Dina ('61 Badoi), Stoica, Trică ('79 Firtulescu) - Badea, F. Costea, M. Costea ('73 Wobay)

Craiova lost this game without any appeal right. I want rather not to remember such a game.

Universitatea Craiova - Drobeta Turnu-Severin 7-0

It was a friendly game between a prestigious football team and the last team in the second Romanian football league. Drobeta has no chances to save this year. Probably they will be in the 3rd league next year. Universitatea Craiova has a great history and at least 50 years of presence in First Romanian Football League.

The game was beautiful and was played in front of 20,000 viewers. That's the record of Romanian football for 2009. Our team:   Lung ('46 Merlier), Bărboianu, Găman ('66 Mitchell), Barbu, Buşu, Stoica ('40 Soava), Jackie Ionescu ('46 Badoi), Firţulescu ('71 M. Roman), Wobay ('54 Dina), Fl. Costea ('48 V. Badea), M. Costea ('71 Trica)

The goals were scored by: Fl. Costea ('16), M. Costea ('24), Firtulescu ('47), Wobay ('53), Dina ('60), M. Roman ('75, '81)

Universitatea Craiova - Ceahlaul Piatra-Neamt 3-2

It was an usual home game. It had not to much viewers. Although it was just a step for Craiova to do something wrong because the score of the game was 2-2 until the 88th minute of the game. In that moment, Vali Badea had a lucky head strike and we had a happy ending of this match. 3-2 was the final result and Craiova went to the 10th position in the table.

Our team: Lung - Bădoi, Găman, Mitchell, Rose - Wobay ('68 Prepelita), Bărboianu ('60 Firtulescu), Şoavă - M. Costea, F. Costea, Dina ('60 V.Badea)

Our goals were scored by: M. Costea ('6), F. Costea ('37) and V. Badea ('88)

Universitatea Craiova - CFR Cluj 0-1

Universitatea Craiova met CFR Cluj in a game for 1/4 Cup of Romania. It was really a crazy match. The refeere of this game was Alexandru Tudor. He made a lot of mistakes in this game. Craiova had a goal perfectly correct which was rejected, CFR Cluj scored after an offside and that was the final score of the game.

Our team: Lung - Barboianu, Mitchell, Gaman, Rose - Stoica ('65 Firtulescu), Badoi, Wobay, Soava ('35 Dina) - M. Costea ('60 V. Badea), Fl. Costea

International Pitesti - Universitatea Craiova 0-1

That was finally the first away victory of Craiova in this season. We were waiting for it kind of 3 months and now it came. It was not such a nice game but these 3 points in the table are all that we need.

Our team: Lung- Bădoi, Găman, Mitchell, Rose - Wobay ('81 Firtulescu), Dilevski, Stoica - M. Costea ('73 V. Badea), F. Costea, Dina ('66 Soava).

Our goal was scored by Mihai Dina ('42) after an assist of Julius Wobay.

Unirea Urziceni - Universitatea Craiova 3-2

This was probably the best match of this winter season. Well... actually only the second half of the game. Because Universitatea Craiova made a waiting game in the first half and because of this we received a goal in the 27th minute of the game.

After the break, this match was like a hurricane. Big opportunities in front of both goals, and more 4 goals scored. Craiova came back twice and made 1-1, and 2-2. This should be the final result of the game, but Urziceni scored in the very last  second of the game ('93) and the final score was 3-2. Nice game but no points in table for Craiova.

Our team: Merlier - Bădoi, Găman, Stoica, Mitchell - Bărboianu ('46 Trica), Dilevski ('65 Dina), Rose ('46 Wobay), Şoavă - M. Costea, F. Costea

Our goals were scored by: M. Costea ('54) and Wobay ('70)

Politehnica Iasi - Universitatea Craiova 0-3

Universitatea Craiova played this time in 1/8 Cup of Romania against Politehnica Iasi. Even our team lost the game against Iasi in Championship, this time it did a good game. It was a very good game and a nice show for the audience. It was also the game when Dorel Stoica came back. Let's hope he will stay for a long time with Craiova.

Our team: Merlier - Bădoi, Găman, Stoica, Mitchell ('90 Firtulescu) - Prepeliţă ('76 Wobay), Dilevski, Rose, Şoavă - M. Costea ('89 Dina), F. Costea

Our goals were scored by Mihai Costea ('25-p, 42') and Florin Costea ('88). Merlier saved a penalty kick in the 78th minute of the game.

Universitatea Craiova - FC Vaslui 1-2

It was another bad match of Universitatea Craiova. Our team lost another game on its own field. And now we really are in danger. Craiova it is on the 15th pace in the table and needs a quickly improving of its football quality. Otherwise Universitatea Craiova will play again in the second League. 

Our team: Merlier - Bădoi, Găman, Mitchell, Rose - Prepeliţă, Dilevski, Şoavă ('46 M. Costea) - Wobay ('81 Firtulescu), F. Costea, Dina ('51 V. Badea)

Our goal was scored in the 89th minute of the game by Florin Costea.

Astra Ploiesti - Universitatea Craiova 3-1

It was a match against a team prepared by the former trainer of Universitatea Craiova, Nicolo Napoli. He knew very well our team but this is not an excuse. Craiova had a bad day and did a bad game. 


So we realy deserved this defeat. The only good thing of this game is Florin Costea scored again and he remains in the top of Romanian first league goalgetters.

Our team: Lung - Bădoi, Barbu, Mitchell, Şoavă ('74 Barboianu) - Wobay, Prepeliţă ('37 V. Badea), Dilevski ('27 Rose), Trică - F. Costea, M. Costea 

Universitatea Craiova - Gloria Bistrita 2-1

This was a friendly game. It was a big break during Romanian championship because of international games which are played in this 2 weeks. So Universitatea Craiova met again Gloria Bistrita in a friendly game. The result was OK. And that, because our trainer tested some young players and Universitatea Craiova succeded to come back after 0-1. The first goal was scored by Hora ('50) after a free kick executed by Madalin Ciuca, the former captain of Universitatea Craiova 3 years ago. Craiova came back scoring twice by Dilevski ('63) and V. Badea ('68).

Our team: Merlier - Bădoi, Dilevski, Mitchell ('76 Misic), Rose - Prepeliţă ('46 Wobay), Şoavă ('69 J.Nicolae), Dina ('66 Ologu), Firţulescu - F. Costea ('85 Roman), Badea

On the other hand, Dorel Stoica, the captain of Universitatea Craiova in the last 3 seasons, resigned his contract with our team. He will play abroad of Romania but is nothing clear yet.

Universitatea Craiova - Unirea Alba-Iulia 3-1

This game was harder than you can see looking the score. And that because the guests were really decided to do all their best against Craiova. They were close to score in the 2nd minute of the game, but Silviu Lung-jr, Craiova's goalkeeper, saved a shoot of Bobi Verdes.

Starting with the 15th minute of the game, Florin Costea had begun to show his class. He scored for 1-0 after a personal act. In the 30th minute of the game, the same Costea scored for 2-0 after a team combination. In the second half, Costea scored his third goal in this game because of a penalty kick after a fault of Poverlovici in the penalty area against Vali Badea. The goal of Alba-Iulia came in the 31st minute of this match, and was scored by Bobi Verdes after an error in defense of Josh Mitchell.

Our team: 21. S.Lung-jr - 32.Badoi, 4.Mitchell, 3.R. Barbu ('46 2.Barboianu), 8.Soava - 30.Prepelita, 6.Stoica, 33.Trica - 77.Wobay, 9.M. Costea ('60 11.V.Badea), 10.F. Costea ('85 20.Dina)