Sports weekend
The latest from football, women's handball and rugby
Eugen Nasta, 14.02.2025, 13:45
Romanian football team FCSB has made a giant leap towards Europa league’s round of 16. ON Wednesday in the first leg counting towards the competition’s play-off, holders FCSB grabbed a 2-1 away win against PAOK Thessalonica. PAOK drew first blood on 21 minutes through their Tanzanian footballer Mbwana Samatta.
Late into the first half PAOK’s Brazilian player Taison got yellow-booked for the second time around, so PAOK were one main shy on the pitch. In the second half of the game FCSB took advantage of that and scored twice, through Andrei Gheorghita on 50 minutes and Cameroonian player, Joyskim Dawa, in the 60th minute. The return leg is scheduled this coming Thursday, on February 20.
This coming weekend will see matches being played, counting towards the Romanian Superleague’s 27th round. On Friday, Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe play FC Hermannstadt Sibiu, while Universitatea Craiova are pitted against Oţelul Galaţi. On Saturday, Petrolul Ploiesti play a home game against UTA, Arad, while in Bucharest, Dinamo receive the visit of Farul Constanţa.
On Sunday, Poli Iaşi play a home game against CFR Cluj, while FCSB travel to Buzău, for a game against the local side Gloria. The 27th round’s last two fixtures are scheduled on Monday, as Universitatea Cluj are pitted against Unirea Slobozia and Rapid Bucharest face FC Botoşani. At the top of the as-it-stands table are CFR Cluj and FCSB, with 46 points each. Three other teams have 45 points each, Universitatea Craiova, Universitatea Cluj and Dinamo Bucharest.
In news from rugby, on Saturday in Botosani, the Romanian national squad play Portugal. The fixture is crucial, deciding the winner of Group B as part of Rugby Europe Championship, Europe’s second-tier competition. We recall Romania and Portugal defeated Germany and Belgium, in Group B’s first two games, thus securing one of the first two positions according to group rankings as well as the ticket for the 2027 edition of the World Cup.
This coming weekend will see matches being played, counting towards a fresh round in the women’s version of the European handball competitions. In The Champions League’s Group A, on Saturday Gloria Bistriţa-Năsăud play a home game against French opponents Metz Handball. On Sunday, CSM Bucharest take on Norway’s Storhamar, away from home. According to the group ranking, CSM are 3rd-placed, while Gloria, 7th. In Group B, Romanian vice-champion team Rapid Bucharest are 7th-placed.
In the EHF European League on Saturday, in Group A, Dunărea Brăila play in Spain’s Elche. Danish head-coach Jan Leslie Lund’s trainees are 2nd placed according to the as-it-stands table, on a par with the top-of-the-table team, Germany’s Thüringer. In Grupa B, top-of-the-table team, SCM Râmnicu Vâlcea, play a home game against Borussia Dortmund.
