Challenge

Claudiu Maior
Spectators: 44 (Terracing: 34, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) Erdélyi SE Marosvásárhely's Mihăiţă Stolniceanu started the match with a crisp pass. The crowd had been anticipating this game for weeks and the excitement in the stadium was easily visible. In the 3rd minute Rasvan Cristescu shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Lyle Coppack saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Lyle Coppack made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Costica Vladimiri in the 8th minute of play. Lyle Coppack made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Alex Serban in the 10th minute of play. In the 13th minute Erdélyi SE Marosvásárhely were awarded a corner. Ferdinand Zmărăndache went to the cornerflag to take it. It was a well-played corner which Ladislao Bela managed to volley towards the net. Unfortunately, he didn't get a great hit on the ball and it went out into the grandstand. Carol Stinga made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Mihăiţă Stolniceanu in the 15th minute of play. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Adam Olaru in the 16th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Lyle Coppack prevented the ball from getting in the gole. Romania were awarded a corner in the 20th minute after Erdélyi SE Marosvásárhely's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Adam Olaru took the corner. Vasile Ciumak was in a good position and managed to take a shot, but he missed just to the outside of the post. After some careless play in the Erdélyi SE Marosvásárhely defense, Rasvan Cristescu kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Lyle Coppack. The Erdélyi SE Marosvásárhely fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Lyle Coppack should have stopped the shot. If Adam Olaru had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 25th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Adam Olaru in the 27th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Lyle Coppack prevented the ball from getting in the gole. Adam Olaru received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 29th minute. Lyle Coppack tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. 36 minutes into the match, Erdélyi SE Marosvásárhely's goal looked a bit too open when Costica Vladimiri came free, but Lyle Coppack reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Erdélyi SE Marosvásárhely's Lyle Coppack played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Costica Vladimiri in the 37th minute of play. Lyle Coppack took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Adam Olaru, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Carol Stinga showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Carlos Mei in the 40th minute of the match. Vasile Ciumak made in the 46th minute of the game a quick throw-in and Alex Serban immediately put the ball in play. The Erdélyi SE Marosvásárhely players were disheartened as they walked off the pitch after the first half. Romania were winning 0-1.

The wind increased when Adam Olaru made the kick off in the second half. Erdélyi SE Marosvásárhely's Lyle Coppack played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Costica Vladimiri in the 51st minute of play. 58 minutes into the match, Romania's goal looked a bit too open when Mihăiţă Stolniceanu came free, but Carol Stinga reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Romania's Octavian Vaduva was substituted for Costica Vladimiri. The corner led Romania's Cosmin Barbulescu to fire away a dangerous shot which Lyle Coppack despite some difficulties managed to get hold on the ball. Erdélyi SE Marosvásárhely's Eusebiu Ipătescu was substituted for Mihăiţă Stolniceanu. Romania made a substitution. Alexandru Pangratiu replaced Alex Serban. When the match clock showed 71 minutes, the score became 0-2 when Anton Stinga sped through Erdélyi SE Marosvásárhely's defense and sent away a curving shot that went into the net to the right of Lyle Coppack. 74 minutes into the match, Erdélyi SE Marosvásárhely's goalkeeper Lyle Coppack had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Octavian Vaduva. Eusebiu Ipătescu fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 75th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Carol Stinga having to interfere. 77 minutes into the match, Erdélyi SE Marosvásárhely's goal looked a bit too open when Anton Stinga came free, but Lyle Coppack reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Lyle Coppack stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Octavian Vaduva's shot from short distance in the 80th minute. Romania were awarded a corner in the 81th minute after Erdélyi SE Marosvásárhely's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Sanda Cutov took the corner. The referee felt a red card was in order, 83 minutes into the game, when Eugen Ionita put in a rough tackle. After 82 minutes of play, the referee blew the whistle. It was a penalty for Romania! 87 minutes into the match, Erdélyi SE Marosvásárhely's goalkeeper Lyle Coppack had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Rasvan Cristescu. Lyle Coppack took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Octavian Vaduva, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. 90 minutes into the match, Eusebiu Ipătescu had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Carol Stinga. Romania's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Eusebiu Ipătescu was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 2-2. If Eusebiu Ipătescu had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 94th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Carol Stinga came out of the goal in the 95th minute to try and stop a shot by Erdélyi SE Marosvásárhely's Eusebiu Ipătescu. But to his dismay, Eusebiu Ipătescu quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 3-2.