Sports weekend

The latest from men's handball, rugby, women's handball and football

Florin Orban, 25.02.2022, 13:45

Romanian men’s handball team Dinamo Bucharest on Thursday have succeeded a heart-throbbing 32-31 away win against Portuguese challengers FC Porto. The fixture counted towards Champions League’s Group B. Two rounds ahead of the final games of the group stage, Dinamo Bucharest are 7th placed in Group B, while Porto are 8th-placed, which is the bottom-of-the-table position in Group B. The first two teams in descending order go straight to the quarterfinals. If they want to advance to the quarterfinals, the 3rd, the 4th, the 5th, the 6th-placed teams will have to play their play-off fixtures. In the next round, in Bucharest, Dinamo take on Paris Saint-Germain on March the 3rd.

In a fixture counting towards the National Women’s Handball League, top-of-the-table team Rapid Bucharest took on runner-up squad CSM. Title holders CSM Bucharest secured a 28-27 win. Cristina Neagu scored 13 goals for CSM. Rapid wasted the opportunity to turn a seven-meter throw into a goal seven times. After 16 rounds, Rapid are still at the top of the table, with 39 points. CSM Bucharest are 2nd-placed, with 38.

In a third-round 2022 Rugby Europe Championship fixture, Romania’s national rugby team goes against Spain in Madrid this coming Sunday. Both teams have a win-all record ahead of the confrontation. Romania outclassed Russia and Portugal, while Spain defeated the Lower Countries and Russia. With 9 points, Spain is at the top of the table. Romania is 2nd-placed, with 8. All told, results in the 2021 and the 2022 editions of Rugby Europe Championship count towards the qualification for the 2023 edition of the World Cup. The top-of-the-table team will be automatically included in the World Cup’s Group C, alongside Wales, Australia and Fiji. Also included in Group C will be the winner of the final-stage fixtures as part of the repechage. The second-placed team will go against South Africa, Ireland, Scotland and the top-of-the-table team as part of the Asia/Pacific qualifiers, in Group B. The 3rd-team in the Rugby Europe Championship competes according to the repechage system.

This coming weekend will see matches being played, counting towards the 28th round as part of the domestic League One in football. On Friday, UtTA Arad go against Academica Clinceni, while Universitatea Craiova play Chindia Târgoviște. On Saturday, in Medias, the local side Gaz Metan are pitted against FC U Craiova. In Sfântu Gheorghe, Sepsi take on CFR Cluj, also on Saturday. In a match hosted by the National Arena in Bucharest, Rapid and Dinamo play the 28th round’s derby, also on Saturday. On Sunday, FC Arges receive the visit of FC Voluntari and FC Botosani play a home fixture against CS Mioveni. The last fixture as part of the 28th round will see FCSB taking on Farul Constanta. The match will be hosted by the National Arena in Bucharest. CFR Cluj are at the top of the table with 67 points, followed by FCSB, with 59.

(EN)