Universitatea Craiova - Astra Ploiesti 1-1

This was a terrible game. Craiova had the chance to score in the 6th minute of the game. Subotic scored for Universitatea after an assist of Gangioveanu. In the next minute, Madalin Ciuca tried to defend against a shot of Astra Ploiesti and get knee injury. He will suffer a surgical intervention and will wait at least 3 months until playing his next game.

Astra tried hard to get at least one point and finally scored for 1-1 in the 70th minute of this match.

Our team: 21.S. Lung - 18.Dananae, 6.Ciuca ('7 8.Ologu), 4.Zoro, 11.W. Lopez - 3.D. Lopes, 5.D. Stoica, 28.Gangioveanu - 10.Fl. Costea ('75 25.Firtulescu), 20.Subotic, 9.M. Costea ('64 19.Stoianof)

Astra Ploiesti - Universitatea Craiova 2-2

Michael Stoichiţă and Aurel Ticeanu were looking for their first victory in stage fifth, when Craiova visited Astra Ploiesti. Two teams with a single purpose: the three points of victory. In spite of the desire and effort the game ended 2-2, and the fans of those two teams have to wait at least one week to see their dream come true.

With shy attacks and without horizon Astra and Craiova could not score until the first error of the opposite defense. That happened in the 30th minute of the game, when Nogo lost a ball in front of Piturca jr., and the striker did a simple formality scoring for 0-1. Ţicleanu and his band seemed to have taken control, but Silviu Lung jr. failed to catch Popara's free kick from 30 meters, and the score became 1-1 in the 37th minute of the game.

After the break, Astra attacked and get a penalty kick after a fault of Gaman against Fatai. Rohat scored for 2-1 in the 65th minute of the game. Ten minutes after, Madalin Ciuca scored with a head kick from 3 meters after a corner kick of Gangioveanu. Madalin Ciuca used to be Universitatea Craiova's captain until 2008. He was sold to Bistrita then but he came back this summer. Maybe this is a sign for a good future. Both teams tried to score in the last minutes of the game, but the scored did not change until the end of the match. 2-2 and the first point won away by Universitatea Craiova. 

Universitatea Craiova - Astra Ploiesti 1-0

Craiova climbed to 10th place in the table after victory against Astra

Mihai Dina was the scorer of our goal.

Craiova approached with fear the game against Astra Ploiesti. Both teams played carefully and showed an ugly football in the first half. It was a blind fight between 22 players. The biggest event of the first part belonged Nicolo Napoli's team. He was Universitatea Craiova's trainer in the last season. And now he is preparing Astra Ploiesti. Liviu Ganea perfectly served Gussev ('28) but this could not shot. Craiova replied by Gîngioveanu but his shot missed the goal('31).

Second round was a carbon copy of the first 45 minutes. Two teams scared by the importance of the game. It was a pressure which affected the result. They tried more to block each other than to attack.

The goal of Dina came in the 72nd minute after a serious error of Astra's defense. Craiova speculated this, and the team of Napoli received first goal of the game. Craciun perfectly served Dina who resumed in the net from 4 meters of the goal.

In the end of the game, Balace get two yellow cards and get eliminated. Oprsal had a head shot but this was over the target ('81). Mihai Costea had the chance to score one more goal for Craiova but he shot in Miron from a good good position. In the 89th minute of the game, Nicolo Napoli was sent off from Astra's bench by the referee Cristi Balaj. He vehemently protested at an unseen foul by the referee. Craiova won three points and is now more relaxed in the fight to resist in the first football league.

Our team: Lung – Buleică, V. Găman, Iliev, Bălace - Prepeliţă, Bărboianu, Trică ('54 Craciun, '82 R. Barbu), Gângioveanu ('57 Firtulescu) - M. Costea, Dina

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