Politehnica Timisoara won on the field of the last placed team in Group A of the League 2 play-out. It was 4-2 (2-1) for the white-violet against Dacia Unirea Brăila at the end of a game in which three penalties were awarded.

Played on a very uneven pitch, the game in Braila started with two goals. The white-violet opened the scoring in the 12th minute, when D. Andrei’s corner was headed by Cristian Bocșan to Duță’s right. The hosts replied seven minutes later when, following another corner kick, the ball was left in front of the goal and was headed home by Duță from close range for 1-1. On the offensive phase the solution also came through the air in the 27th minute, when Sofran’s cross from 14 yards was well headed home by Alexandru Iamandache, to the left of the goalkeeper this time. It’s the 22-year-old midfielder’s first League 2 goal.

In the second half the hosts managed to get back on the scoreboard once again, equalising after a penalty awarded for a foul on Sofran in the 60th minute. Scorer: Charles Acolatse with a shot to the left of Murariu. 12 minutes later the new entrant Gerbi was fouled by Ziepop in the box and a penalty kick was awarded to the white-and-violet too, but the Italian sent wide from the spot. The score became 3-2 for Poli eventually in the 80th minute, when Gerbi jumped with two opponents, the ball still fell in the hosts’ box and Octavian Ursu speculated, shooting under the bar. Three minutes later the same Gerbi got a new penalty and this time Alin Ignea executed with certainty to the left of the goalkeeper and set the final score.

Dacia Unirea Braila: V. Duță – Cr. Leu (82, Vartolomei), Moroianu (captain), Ziepop (90+2, B. Ene), R. Mocanu – Zoua (88, Borosu), Acolatse – Șt. Sava, Petrache (88, Lascu), V. Robu – Al. Dutu (88, Njopgang). On the bench: Butunoiu – Bădilaș, Gheorghiu, Ad. Ghiță. Coach: Laurențiu Ivan.

POLITEHNICA: Murariu – Sofran, Mera (captain), Bocșan, Pamfile – D. Andrei, Lazăr (72, Ignea), Iamandache, Oanea (65, Gerbi) – Bîrnoi (82, D. Radu), Ursu. On the bench: Devenish-Meares – Plumbuitu, Huminic, Scutaru, Bakoș, Rogosic. Coach: Nicolae Croitoru.

“Victory, unfortunately a victory that doesn’t make up for the upset after last week’s game. A victory that I think should have been normal after all and I really appreciate Braila’s team, because it’s a team in a difficult situation, but it’s a team that respects football and competition“, said Nicolae Croitoru, Politehnica’s head coach.

“It was hard to believe that anything else could happen, sure, that we were tying ourselves to math, but even math can’t help much sometimes. It was hard to believe that Iașiul couldn’t win the match against Călărașiul or couldn’t win one of the two matches they had left to play. It is clear that we will have to somehow get over the fact that we are going to the play-off and we will have to calm down, prepare very well and be at a different level at the time of the play-off games than we are now“, concluded the coach of the white-violet team.

Politehnica has accumulated 27 points after this result, but has no chance to leave the 5th position, the play-off position, being six points behind the next ranked teams – Poli Iasi and CSC Șelimbăr, teams with an advantage, in case of a tie, by the number of points they have entered the play-out phase of the championship. The next match of the white-violet team will be at home against Metaloglobus București.