Politehnica won for the second time in a row in this play-off with 2-1 at home and did it on a Friday. After the Dunarea, it was the turn of the leader of U Craiova 1948 to leave “Dan Păltinișanu” empty-handed. Today’s game on “Dan Păltinișanu” started with a moment of silence in memory of the late Banat coach Octavian Foale, the father of our “second” Toni Foale, who passed away at the end of last week. On the field, the first notable opportunity of the match was at the expense of the undefeated leader until tonight in the League 2 play-off. Baeten (min. 12) was launched in the box by Voicu, but Păduraru managed to block the Belgian midfielder. However, the Polytechnic looked better in the first half. And four minutes later, R. Negru stepped on Axente in the box. The penalty kick was executed by the same Mircea Axente, who scored with a foot shot to the left of the goalkeeper. With 27 minutes played, the home side managed to get a 2 – 0 lead as Dorin Codrea flipped the ball in after a cross from the left. The center of the goal came from Ivanovici, the ball being also wrongly rejected by C. Cristea to our midfielder.

The visitors’ central defense should have had no trouble clearing the pass to Compagno, but the FC player managed to shrug them off and fired a low shot past the keeper to give his team the lead. Then the “youngsters” put more and more pressure on Păduraru’s butts. It was used seriously in the 73rd minute by Anghelina, from a free kick. Compagno did not manage to defeat our goalkeeper in the end either and the points remained in Timişoara.

After seven rounds of this play-off, Politehnica accumulated 39 points and occupies the 5th place, being three points away from the Dunarea (4th place).

The next match of our team will be on Thursday, May 13, at 20.30, in the fief of Rapid.

Politehnica: Păduraru – Jurj *, Scutaru (captain), Bocşan, Pamfile (66, Mera) – D. Radu **, Codrea, Coadă (78, Ignea), Ivanovici – Axente (66, Plazonja), Munteanu (52, Married). On the bench: Cuzmanovici ** – Manea, D. Andrei, Radunovic, Sofran *. Coach: Dan Alexa.

U Craiova 1948: Enache ** – Gîţ, Diakite, D. Ispas, Huyghebaert – D. Albu *, C. Cristea (32, Ciolacu) – R. Negru (32, V. Munteanu), Baeten (46, Anghelina), Ad. Voicu (74, Voicu) – Companion. On the bench: Mogoşanu – V. Pop *, Raicea, Cacheiro, Blidar **. Coach: Eugen Trica. *

-U20 player; ** – U18 player

Photo: Sebastian Tătaru