Sports weekend

The latest from women's handball, swimming and football

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Florin Orban, 08.12.2023, 13:45

Headline-hitting these days is the IHF Womens World Handball Championship. Romania sustained a defeat in the competitions main group stage. In Denmarks Herning, Florentin Peras trainees on Thursday were outclassed by Germany, 24-22, after a confrontation where the winner was decided in the second part of the second half of the game. Romania had a 12-9 lead at half time. The teams top scorer was Eliza Buceschi, with 8 goals scored. Not completely recovered after a recent injury, Cristina Neagu was also on the pitch, for the first time at this edition of the world championship, and scored three goals.

After their most recent run at the ongoing World Championship, Romania are 5th placed in Main Group III, with a mere two points on their record sheet. On Saturday, also in Herning, Romania faces Japan, the team that on Thursday defeated Denmark, 27-26. Advancing to the quarterfinals are the first two teams in descending order in each of the main groups.

The European Short-course Swimming Championships are underway in Otopeni, near Bucharest. A 21-strong delegation of Romanian swimmers, 7 girls and 14 boys, will prove their mettle in the competition. Several events are scheduled later this week, with the Romanian swimmers standing a real chance to grab a medal. In 2021, at the previous edition of the Short-course Championships, held in Russias Kazan, David Popovici walked home with gold in the 200m freestyle event, while Robert Glinta won silver, in the 100m backstroke event, and bronze, in the 50m backstroke event.

The last fixtures as part of Romanian Football Cups group stage have been played this week. On Thursday, in Group C, FC U Craiova grabbed a 2-nil home win against FCSB, while Bucharest Dinamo and Otelul Galaţi drew, 3-all. In the quarterfinals, scheduled on April 3rd, 2024, second-league team Corvinul Hunedoara go against CFR Cluj, FC U Craiova face FC Voluntari, Oţelul Galaţi play an away game against Universitatea Craiova, while Universitatea Cluj play a home fixture against FC Hermannstadt of Sibiu.

Matches counting towards Romanian Football Super leagues 19th round are scheduled at the weekend and early next week. On Friday, Poli Iaşi are pitted against UTA Arad. On Saturday, Rapid Bucharest play FC Voluntari. On Sunday, FC Hermannstadt face Universitatea Craiova, Farul Constanţa go against Petrolul Ploieşti while CFR Cluj play FCSB. On Monday, FC U Craiova 1948 take on FC Botoşani, while Dinamo Bucharest go against Universitatea Cluj. The 19th rounds last game is Otelul Galatis home fixture against Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe. FCSB are at the top of the table, with 37 points. CFR Cluj follow, with 32.