League

CHAMPIONS STADIUM
Spectators: 8167 (Terracing: 6127, Seating: 1878, VIP seats: 162) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Jean-Louis Wans got the match started through his kick off. A collision led to F.C. Ștefan cel Mare getting a freekick after 4 minutes play. Bogdan Bucataru hit a great ball. Jacinto Romero's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Nicodim Bran read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 6th minute of play. When Nicolae Zăvoiu fell near the penalty area in the 7th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored F.C. Ștefan cel Mare's protests and gave Nicolae Zăvoiu a yellow card for diving instead. 16 minutes in the game Bogdan Bucataru did a throw-in, and the ball was quickly in game thanks to Jean-Louis Wans. After a defensive mix-up in F.C. Ștefan cel Mare's zone, Dorel Şteflea stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Nicodim Bran came out of the goal and Dorel Şteflea tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Champions Iasi's Rouven Nussli played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Nicolae Zăvoiu in the 25th minute of play. A hard shot 27 in the game by Jacinto Romero from a close distance when the talented Nicodim Bran managed to make a qualified save. F.C. Ștefan cel Mare's players were relieved. If Jacinto Romero had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 28th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. In the 28th minute Jacinto Romero shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Nicodim Bran saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Jacinto Romeros short, quick shot in the 29thth minute got Nicodim Bran to make great effort and bar the ball away from getting in. Champions Iasi were awarded a corner in the 31th minute after F.C. Ștefan cel Mare's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Stefan Pieters took the corner. The goalkeeper smacked the ball away after a great corner, but Dorel Şteflea advanced and headed the ball into goal, 2-0 in the 31st minute. F.C. Ștefan cel Mare's Nicodim Bran proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 36th minute of the match, managed to save F.C. Ștefan cel Mare from getting a goal against them. After 40 played minutes Champions Iasi got a freekick which was hit by Remington Dobson. Jacinto Romero recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 46th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal.

The wind increased when Jacinto Romero made the kick off in the second half. In the 55th minute the ball was on its way in behind F.C. Ștefan cel Mare's goalkeeper Nicodim Bran, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. In the 56th match minute, Champions Iasi was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Remington Dobson to maneuver through the defense. Rouven Nussli showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Lluciano Somorrostro in the 58th minute of the match. 61 minutes into the match, Champions Iasi's Jacinto Romero sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Nicodim Bran narrowly saved just below the crossbar. In the 71st minute Champions Iasi were awarded a corner. Stefan Pieters went to the cornerflag to take it. Remington Dobson kicked well hit freekick during the 71st minute of the match. The supporters of Champions Iasi booed when F.C. Ștefan cel Mare was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 75 match minutes in a wonderful position. Ioan Stegaru didn't get a good kick on the ball. After some fancy dribbling in the 78th minute, Jacinto Romero managed to get in a good position for a shot. Champions Iasi's supporters rose to their feet, but Jacinto Romero was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Nicodim Bran breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. F.C. Ștefan cel Mare's Bogdan Bucataru quite brazenly broke a throw-in by Dorel Şteflea, made in the 81st minute of the game. An unexpectedly hard shot by Jacinto Romero in the 82nd minute of play forced F.C. Ștefan cel Mare's goalkeeper Nicodim Bran to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Jacinto Romero took the ball and in the 83 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Nicodim Bran. Nicodim Bran dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 3-0. The audience was convinced that Jacinto Romero's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Nicodim Bran was relentless in the 89th minute of the game. Jacinto Romero blasted a shot towards the goal in the 91st minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Nicodim Bran having to make a save. F.C. Ștefan cel Mare's Nicodim Bran played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Jacinto Romero in the 91st minute of play. The crowd rose to their feet and cheered when the referee blew the final whistle. Champions Iasi had won after a very even match.