League

Lupeni Arena
Spectators: 7495 (Terracing: 5622, Seating: 1724, VIP seats: 149) It was fairly windy and cold on the field when Felix Mihăescu kicked off to start the match. Damian Urducea's late challenge caught a F.C. Lupeni's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Damian Urducea helped the player get up and apologised. A collision led to Jigoreasa getting a freekick after 3 minutes play. Damian Urducea hit a great ball. In the 5th minute, Niculae Doman left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The F.C. Lupeni fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 1-0. In the 7th minute, Dorel Goiciu hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. After some careless play in the F.C. Lupeni defense, Sebastian Baldazar kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Șerban Lăzăroiu. The F.C. Lupeni fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Șerban Lăzăroiu should have stopped the shot. The audience was convinced that Mihnea Ciobanu's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Șerban Lăzăroiu was relentless in the 16th minute of the game. Niculae Doman hit a great freekick 20 minutes into the match. In the 20th minute, F.C. Lupeni's Niculae Doman fired away a free kick that almost went in the goal. Emanuel Luțu was prepared for the shot, but didn't have to make a play as the shot flew over the goal. After 22 played minutes, F.C. Lupeni's Aron Omescu shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper Emanuel Luțu came through and got his fingers on the ball before it flew over the goal line. He then quickly gripped the ball tighter before the forwards in F.C. Lupeni reached it. Niculae Doman received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 23rd minute. Emanuel Luțu tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Felix Mihăescu received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 28th minute. Emanuel Luțu tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Niculae Doman in the 33rdth minute had a little luck and got a chance for a shot in front of the goal. Without hesitation aimed to the right of Emanuel Luțu, who managed to lunge to the right direction and made a save. F.C. Lupeni's Șerban Lăzăroiu played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Mihnea Ciobanu in the 35th minute of play. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Mihnea Ciobanu in the 39th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Șerban Lăzăroiu saved F.C. Lupeni from getting behind. Mihnea Ciobanu recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 43rd minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. The first half was very even, with the score at 1-1 when the whistle went for half-time. The players welcomed the break and quickly retired to the dressing rooms.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Mihnea Ciobanu made a kick off. With a little luck, F.C. Lupeni's Șerban Lăzăroiu got control of the ball when Sebastian Baldazar tried to sneak it across the goal line. Șerban Lăzăroiu made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Mihnea Ciobanu in the 63rd minute of play. If Sebastian Baldazar had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 67th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. After a defensive mix-up in F.C. Lupeni's zone, Sebastian Baldazar stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Șerban Lăzăroiu came out of the goal and Sebastian Baldazar tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Jigoreasa's Cornel Onitiu pulled a muscle in his leg after 70 minutes and couldn't finish the game. After 70 minutes, Sorin Dumitru mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the F.C. Lupeni and the Jigoreasa players grew even worse after the yellow card. Sorin Dumitru hit a great freekick 70 minutes into the match. Jigoreasa's Emanuel Luțu played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Niculae Doman in the 73rd minute of play. Aron Omescu took a chance and fired a shot far from the goal in the 76th minute, but it turned out to be a dangerous situation for Emanuel Luțu. Jigoreasa's goalkeeper really had to stretch himself to stop the ball from crossing the goal line. If Sebastian Baldazar had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 85th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Șerban Lăzăroiu didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Damian Urducea went, in the 87th minute, to the upper right corner, 1-3 was the resulting score. In the 92nd minute, Mihnea Ciobanu reached a very good position and smashed the ball with a huge effort into the net, just to the left of Șerban Lăzăroiu. The goal made the score 1-4. When Rareș Vulturar fell near the penalty area in the 96th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Jigoreasa's protests and gave Rareș Vulturar a yellow card for diving instead. After 96 played minutes Jigoreasa got a freekick which was hit by Rareș Vulturar. In the 98th match minute, F.C. Lupeni was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Felix Mihăescu to maneuver through the defense. Jigoreasa's fans were overjoyed with their teams well-earned victory and stayed in the stadium long after the final whistle to celebrate the win.