League Play-Off

Valentin Stanescu
Spectators: 34 (Terracing: 26, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Aurelian Păltineanu started the match with the kick off. The supporters of F.C Rapid Bucuresti booed when FC STEAUA BUCURESTI was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 2 match minutes in a wonderful position. Călin Apostu didn't get a good kick on the ball. After some fancy dribbling in the 4th minute, Aurelian Păltineanu managed to get in a good position for a shot. FC STEAUA BUCURESTI's supporters rose to their feet, but Aurelian Păltineanu was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Eugen Apostolescu breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. After some fancy dribbling in the 7th minute, Călin Apostu managed to get in a good position for a shot. FC STEAUA BUCURESTI's supporters rose to their feet, but Călin Apostu was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Eugen Apostolescu breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Eugen Apostolescu took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Aurelian Păltineanu, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. A collision led to F.C Rapid Bucuresti getting a freekick after 14 minutes play. Emilian Costache hit a great ball. F.C Rapid Bucuresti's Eugen Apostolescu played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Florin Toader in the 18th minute of play. When Călin Apostu came up free with the goalie in the 21st minute, the FC STEAUA BUCURESTI fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Călin Apostu couldn't finish the play. Doru Crișan made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Amauri Paes in the 23rd minute of play. Sylwester Sikola hit a great freekick 25 minutes into the match. Eugen Apostolescu showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Bogdan Abrudan in the 26th minute of the match. If Călin Apostu had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 28th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. FC STEAUA BUCURESTI's Doru Crișan proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 35th minute of the match, managed to save FC STEAUA BUCURESTI from getting a goal against them. After 36 played minutes F.C Rapid Bucuresti got a freekick which was hit by Amauri Paes. Amauri Paes fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 39th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Doru Crișan having to interfere. Doru Crișan came out of the goal in the 41st minute to try and stop a shot by F.C Rapid Bucuresti's Gigi Răţescu. But to his dismay, Gigi Răţescu quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 1-0. Gigi Răţescu kicked well hit freekick during the 44th minute of the match. FC STEAUA BUCURESTI's Aurelian Păltineanu got a good chance for a goal in the 45th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. No-one was surprised that the home team were leading 1-0 at half-time.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Amauri Paes stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. Nae Vârnav sent away a hard shot on goal in the 52nd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. In the 54th match minute, F.C Rapid Bucuresti was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Dacian Pancu to maneuver through the defense. Eugen Apostolescu came out of the goal in the 57th minute to try and stop a shot by FC STEAUA BUCURESTI's Florin Toader. But to his dismay, Florin Toader quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 1-1. F.C Rapid Bucuresti's Iurie Peter was substituted for Amauri Paes. In the 61st minute, Călin Apostu fired away a killer shot towards the goal that, to the delight of Eugen Apostolescu, passed just outside the right post. In the 65th minute Gigi Răţescu shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Doru Crișan saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. After a rather tough play, F.C Rapid Bucuresti's Dacian Pancu got a free kick in the 70th minute. In the 74th minute, Aurelian Păltineanu hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Gigi Răţescu received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 78th minute. Doru Crișan tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. In the 82nd minute Gigi Răţescu shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Doru Crișan saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. FC STEAUA BUCURESTI's Doru Crișan played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Iurie Peter in the 83rd minute of play. Gigi Răţescu scored 2-1 in the 88th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Doru Crișan, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. Florin Toader received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 94th minute. Eugen Apostolescu tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. The crowd rose to their feet and cheered when the referee blew the final whistle. F.C Rapid Bucuresti had won after a very even match.