Unfamiliar names in Romanian Cup frame
Friday, February 29, 2008
Article summary
For the first time in 14 years a club from Bucharest will not feature in the last four of the Romanian Cup after the quarter-final ties were concluded earlier this week.
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Cup shocks
The 1993/94 season when CF Gloria 1922 Bistrita lifted the trophy was the last time a capital-based club failed to reach the last four. However, defeats for Liga 1 champions FC Dinamo 1948 Bucureşti and FC Rapid Bucureşti, winners of the cup for the last two seasons, have ensured that the competition's latter stages take on an unfamiliar look.
New territory
The semi-final now consists of four clubs – CS Dacia Mioveni, AFC Unirea Valahorum Urziceni, FC Gloria Buzau and league leaders CFR 1907 Cluj – all of whom have never reached this stage of the competition before, meaning a new name will be on the trophy come the end of the season.
Penalty drama
Both Dinamo and Rapid succumbed to 1-0 defeats against fellow top-flight opposition. Dinamo were reduced to ten men after only five minutes of their tie against Dacia Mioveni when midfielder Andrei Margaritescu was dismissed, and their misery was compounded later in the first half when Ionel Danciulescu missed a penalty kick. Dacia Mioveni were not as wasteful from the spot, though, as Robert Neagoe converted his effort to send the 14th-placed team through.
Capital scalp
Unirea's defeat of Rapid was their second Bucharest scalp of the season in the cup following a victory against FC Steaua Bucureşti in the last 16. Bogdan Mara's 71st-minute header was enough for Unirea, who are just two points behind their second-placed opponents in the league. Gloria Buzau accounted for Liga 1 strugglers CS Pandurii Lignitul Târgu Jiu 3-2 on penalties, following a goalless 120 minutes, while Cluj required an extra-time winner from Diego Ruiz to see off second division outift FC Brasov.