Pandurii - Poli 0:0

A hard match awaited at Tg. Jiu, where lots of the big teams couldn't manage a victory. Indeed the first half was a cautionary battle at midfield, with little dangerous opportunities. Poli tried to play their passing game, but usually some sort of miscalculation or goof would put an end to our attack. Pandurii, struggling to jump above the relegation line, tried ambitiously to be dangerous on the counter attack, but the balls thrown into our box, couldn't be intercepted by their attackers. Towards the half-time whistle, Magera and Curtean tried some long distance shots, but only the Czech managing to hit the target.

In the second half, Poli pushed a lot harder, and due to a harsher pressing, we managed to keep the ball inside their half althroughout. The opportunities succeeded one another, but the goal failed to come. Pandurii massed all their players into their own box, as if on a courageous last stand, making it very hard for us to drive the ball into a good position. Goga decided to try his shot whenever he could, even though at times a pass to a teammate would have been much better. Bourceanu was perhaps the most inspired when he turned no less than 3 defenders, and when everybody thought he had a clear shot on goal, a 4th appeared in front to block him! The best chance of the game took place very late in the game, in the 88th minute. Cociș was found somewhere on the 6 yard line, with his back to the goal. He made an excellent turn, avoiding the defender at his back, shot diagonally past the keeper, but, again, a defender was in the way, blocking the ball right off the goal line. So frustrating!

The last stage of the championship poses only one last battle - for the 3rd, 4th and 5th places. Incredibly, Poli, Steaua and Vaslui are tied at 59 points, with advantage for Steaua, having better direct results. The stake is whether to start the Europa League qualifiers in the 3rd round or in the 2nd one and our objective is to somehow finish above Steaua. That means that Steaua shouldn't win. Considering that we win against Brașov, of course.

Poli: Taborda (6) - Luchin (5,5), Cisovsky (6), Nibombe (6), Maxim (5,5) - Curtean (4,5), Bourceanu (5,5), Sepsi (6) - Cociş (5,5), Magera (5,5), Goga (5)

Substitutions: None