Our team was narrowly defeated in the 5th round of League 2. The match Oțelul Galati – Politehnica Timisoara ended with the score of 1-0 following the goal scored in the 3rd minute by Razvan Gorovei.

On a damp surface, the hosts opened the scoring early through Gorovei, who headed home from close range in the 3rd minute after Yabre had also headed in from a corner kick. Oțelul dominated the first half territorially, benefiting from many other set pieces. The first notable chance for the white-violet came in the 25th minute, when Pană’s shot from the edge of the box was deflected into the arms of Dur-Bozoancă. Six minutes later, the Galician side had another chance to score through Cisotti, who shot over the goal from six yards after another deflected ball.

The white-violet started the second half better, but without being very dangerous. And Oțelul was content to keep the ball away from their own goal. Germinio (min. 73) reached the box, but sent his shot wide of the bar from the long corner and nine minutes later Țangulea tried his shot from distance without success.

Following this result Politehnica remains in the basement of the standings, only in 17th place with four points after five rounds played. In the next round our team receives the replica of Viitorul Pandurii Tg. Jiu.

Oțelul Galati (coach Dorinel Munteanu): Dur-Bozoancă – An. Rus, Yabre, Azinovic, Nedelea – Cisotti, I. Neagu (captain), Gorovei (66, Jardan) – L. Maxim (66, Mitoi), Cîrjan (90+2, Bokhashvili), Nica (86, Markovic). On the bench: R. Pop – Șt. Farcaș, V. Berisha, Sîrghi, Adăscăliței.

POLITEHNICA (coach Bogdan Andone): Kucich – Tsvetkov, Bocșan, Germinio – D. Radu (60, Bătănași), Pană, Plantak (90+2, A. Mada), Pureca (46, Boariu), Oanea – Milea (60, Țangulea), Bîrnoi (captain; 74, Mudrazija). On the bench: Isvoranu – Taub, M. Andone, Jurj.

“I understand them (the supporters) have come a long way – Timisoara-Galati – to be close to the team. I thank them on my behalf and on behalf of the team. Unfortunately the result was not what we wanted. We wanted to get a positive result. I have nothing to reproach the boys for their attitude, their work, they tried, we fought, we fought. It was a hard-fought game, on a very tough pitch. Unfortunately we conceded a goal at the first set piece. We tried to get back into the game, we tried to create problems. Unfortunately in the three or four situations we created, we didn’t make the right decision, we didn’t finish them properly and in the end we didn’t manage to equalise… Unfortunately last time we also lost from a set-piece, from a corner, and again today. Although last week and so far, naturally, during the weekly cycle we practise these defensive and offensive fixed phases. Defensively, unfortunately we conceded a goal and we can’t find a way to fix it, we also changed the marking, we also changed the positioning of the players in these set pieces. And unfortunately on offensive set-pieces, although we have all kinds of schemes or combinations, we don’t manage to cause problems or score… Even today we had very good situations, but unfortunately the final step or the final decision was not the best… The same thing happened last time, a match with Progresul Spartac, how we lost – 1-0 from a set-piece – we might as well have won it, but, statistically, it’s clear, we have only one goal scored, we have only four points. It’s very, very little compared to what we want and what we want to do next. That’s why we have to realize that we are far away, we have a lot of work to do and we need a little chance to score from the situations we create”, Bogdan Andone, head coach of Politehnica Timisoara.