A younger Politehnica Timisoara line-up was tested today at the “Science” by the staff led by Bogdan Andone. The formation used in the first half was led 3-1 at half-time by Unirea Jimbolia, but in the end the final score was 5-3 for our team after a good effort of the youngsters who played in the second half.

In the second training game of the summer, most of the young and very young players (most of the players on the pitch were born between 2003 and 2006) were used. The guests, who made the step to the Timis League 4 last weekend, opened the scoring through D. Cioată in the 15th minute. He scored with a low, easy shot from the side and inside the box. Shortly after Bakoș’s free-kick cross, the guests took advantage of an error and made it 0-2 (min. 35) from a penalty kick scored by R. Anton. Immediately (min. 36) the other goal was awarded a penalty and Butar reduced the deficit. Even if our players had more of the ball, Jimbolia scored at the end of the half (41) through the same Cioată, after a counter-attack from the penalty area.

Although it played out along similar lines with the guests mounted on defense and attempting some sharp counter attacks, the second half brought no less than four goals for the youngsters we used on this segment of the game. Three of them were headers and belonged to Huminic (min. 60, 73) and A. Marco (90+3), while Gologan scored in the 90th minute from the third penalty awarded in the match.

Politehnica will play a new test on Saturday, July 2 (10.30 a.m.) against Steaua Roșie Variaș (League 5).

Politehnica Timisoara (coach Bogdan Andone):

Cuzmanovici – Bîrlovean, N. Popovici, A. Mada, Butar, Bakos, Pureca, Mitre, Kuhn, Teodorescu, Grancea. Also entered: Paleacu, Rusan and A. Mada (first half);

Cuzmanovici – Amariei, Bota, Huminic, M. Mircea, Gașpar, Marco, Gologan, Boariu, Olariu, Erceanu. Paleacu (second half).

Unirea Jimbolia (coach Avram Rusu):

Matei – Gorgan, Dumitru, D. Cioată, Dițoiu, Bursuc, Bilich, A. Cănuci, R. Anton, Vînău, G. Sera. The following were also present: Marinică Waldi – L. Curea, Boldijar, D. Chistrugă, Borșan, Bubulici, An. Șerban, Custuriu, I. Pricop.

“It’s important to see what level our players are at, the academy players, the young players, plus a few kids who came to see them, because I said it, I repeat it, we will rely or try to rely in the future also on young players, grown up or maybe coming from other academies or football schools, to be Polytechnic players. Today was a test for them, with the senior team doing a double training, morning and afternoon, and on Saturday, in the next friendly match we will play in full strength. We will split into two teams. Some of the kids will go back to their academy groups, some will stay with us. Still the age gap between the 2005-06 kids and what we need this year is quite big. It’s not good to expose them either. They’ve trained with us before, they’ll train with us again, they’ll always be in our sights. We’ll go to junior games when the championship starts. The gates will always be open for them to make the step to the big team”, said Bogdan Andone, head coach of Politehnica, at the end.

The coach also talked about the difference in approach between the two halves of today’s game: “Totally unhappy with the first half, not necessarily because of the score, but because of the attitude of the players, I told them – I don’t accept the attitude they had in the game. I accept the mistake, it happens, we all make mistakes, but I don’t accept the attitude they had, the lack of effort… I’m glad that the players in the second half understood exactly what they had to do. They made a very, very big effort and I’m glad they had some successes.”

“We finished the championship on Saturday and we still had a little bit of momentum left, the euphoria after promotion, and we expected a good game. The guys were very excited that we were going to play Poli and we didn’t have a pressure on the score. In the whole championship we had to win and that’s why it was a pleasure for them and I think it showed in our game. It’s useful because we have a very young team and they want it. Today, Mera noticed the two, Cioată and Robert Anton, but they still have to learn. That’s why we are raising them and we want to make, if possible, a protocol with SSU Politehnica. We work hard, we train three times a week, training is training, we are not an experienced team, we work very hard and we can’t wait for League 4. The objective is definitely to maintain ourselves and the rest is bonus… We’re still trying to bring in some players. We need another experienced player in the centre. The youthful drive makes them make a lot of mistakes, they don’t realise it yet, we still have a lot of things to sort out. The boys have been at work today, they have made time, they have worked, they have sat in the sun, but like a small child with a favorite toy, regardless, even if not all the League 2 seniors were there, but the match matters for them, for their development”, said Avram Rusu, the “principal” of Unirii Jimbolia.