Sport weekend
The latest from football
Eugen Nasta, 26.07.2024, 13:45
Attention-grabbing later this week is the official opening of the Olympic Games in Paris. Competitions started as early as Wednesday, yet as of Saturday events will kick-start at full throttle. Until the events with Romanian participation unfold, attention-grabbing for the Romanian fans are international football matches.
On Thursday, three Romanian team proved their mettle in the European Cups qualifiers. In Europa League’s second preliminary round, Romanian Cup holders second-tier team Corvinul Hunedoara, took on Croatia’s vice champions Rijeka, in Sibiu. The match ended in a blank draw, so the return leg in Croatia will be decisive for qualification.
Unless they qualify, Corvinul Hunedoara will compete in the Conference League’s third preliminary round. Also on Thursday, CFR Cluj ended the game against Neman Grodno of the Belarus in a blank draw. The tie counted towards the Conference League’s second preliminary round. League. The return leg is scheduled in Budapest.
The second Romanian team playing in the Conference League’s preliminaries, Universitatea Craiova, sustained a nil-2 away defeat by Slovenian opponents Maribor, so next week’s return leg at home looks like a daunting task for Universitatea Craiova.
Matches counting towards the Romanian Football Super League’s third round are scheduled at the weekend. On Friday, Hermannstadt faces Unirea Slobozia, while FCSB is pitted against Oțelul Galați. On Saturday, Poli Iași plays a home game against Gloria Buzău, while Dinamo Bucharest travels to Sfântu Gheorghe, pentru a se confrunta cu Sepsi OSK. Two other fixtures are scheduled on Sunday, when Farul Constanța faces FC Botoșani, in Ovidiu, and CFR Cluj plays a home game against Universitatea Craiova.
The third round’s last three games are scheduled on Monday, when UTA Arad is pitted against Universitatea Cluj, while Petrolul Ploiești plays Rapid Bucharest. The only team that got all its points in the first two wounds, Sepsi Sfantu Gheorghe, is at the top of the as-it-stands table.
