RRI Sports Club – A preview of the match pitting Steaua Bucharest against Strømsgodset

Steaua Bucharest on Wednesday will play Norway championsStrømsgodset

Florin Orban, 15.07.2014, 12:37

Romania’s champions Steaua Bucharest on Wednesday will kick off the 2014-2015 European season. The Romanian team will play Norway’s champions Strømsgodset IF on home turf.

Steaua comes after an outstanding season last year, when it won the championship and played in the Romanian Cup. Steaua lost that match against Astra Giurgiu, the same team that won the Romanian Supercup last week after the penalty shootout. The team from Bucharest also lost some its first team regulars, such as team captain Mihai Pintilii, goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu, right-wing Daniel Georgievski and forward Federico Piovaccari who came in on loan. In addition, this summer Steaua failed to sign any major players.

It remains to be seen how well the team will perform this season with Costel Galca at their helm. The Supercup match was one first test they failed, although Steaua players passed well and looked well on the pitch. The only weakness exhibited so far was in the attack.

Many voices have criticized Costel Galca for his lack of experience as a first-team coach. Galca has previously coached Almeria B, a third-tear Spanish team, as well as Romania’s under-17 team. With Romania’s national team Costel Galca gathered a total of 68 caps in the 1993-2005 period. He played for Steaua Bucharest in Romania, but also for the Spanish teams Mallorca, Espanyol Barcelona, Villareal and Zaragoza.

Romania’s opponent on Wednesday evening, Strømsgodset IF, played in European Competitions only once. In 1971, the team played Arsenal London in the first qualifying round. In the first leg played in Oslo, the English grabbed a 3-1 win and subsequently secured qualification with a 4-nil win on Highbury Stadium in London.