What a great tactical match today from Poli! A good and important victory against rivals Rapid cannot and will not be diminished by an error made by the linesman at Poli's goal, because it didn't all come down to that.
With Arman Karamyan in the first eleven, Uhrin was obviously "undermanned" for this match. But it started well and Poli controlled the game, even if without creating any scoring opportunities. Rapid came close to going one up when Popa forced himself to save a ball which had been passed back to him with his hands, but Stancu's indirect free-kick was deflected into a corner-kick. After first warming up with a tight-angle shot saved by Coman, Arman Karamyan was very precise in converting Badoi's excellent cross! The only problem being that Badoi had crossed the ball after it had gone over the line into, what should have been, a goal kick. Still, Karamyan's perfect header is worth its share of praise. Rapid could have drawn level a couple of minutes later, when Milhazes was hit with a ball which then headed toward the net, but Popa's excellent reflex saved Poli!
The second half started with a great chance for Bucur, who shot next to goal while on a one on one with the Rapid keeper. However, this was about the only real scoring opportunity for Poli in the second half, the home side working hard to find the equalizer. In then end though it proved all in vain, for when they did manage to get past Canu and Brezinsky, Popa was there to make the save - especially in the case of Joao Paulo, whose shot was kept out with great intuition! When the final whistle went, everyone jubilated in the most sincere of manners, for even without the linesman's mistake, Poli had outplayed itself today, displaying a perfect defensive approach to the game and ending, for the second match in a row, without conceding.
Of the foreigners, it was Arman, Brezinsky and Borbely who really stood out. I suppose it's quite something that Arman has, for a change, is taking most of the credit and not his brother. But it's well deserved, because Artiom simply wasn't very inspired today. Brezinsky and Borbely were majestic in defense and hopefully they'll keep on being just as majestic in the matches to come. Good game!
Poli: Popa (7) - Bădoi (7), Brezinsky (7), Cânu (7), Milhazes (6) - Abiodun (6), Borbely (6,5), Aliuţă (6), Art. Karamyan (5,5) - Bucur (6), Arm. Karamyan (6,5); Tibi Bălan (5), Axente and Raţiu came on for Aliuţă, Arman Karamyan and Gigel Bucur.
You can watch the goal here.
The next match is at home, on Saturday, against arch-rivals UTA. If the team plays as well as they did today, there's little doubt as to who will be the winner.
Forza Poli!
3/09/2008
3/03/2008
Poli - Unirea Urziceni 0:0
Really not a lot to say today. A pretty boring match against our immediate rivals for European qualification mounted to a lackluster draw, with few scoring opportunities. For Poli, Karamyan and Milhazes sent dangerous long shots at goal, but the opposition goalie did well to keep them out.
Poli: Marius Popa - Carlos Milhazes, Gabriel Cânu, Miloš Brezinský, Srdjan Luchin - Artavazd Karamyan, Marian Aliuţă, Valentin Bădoi, Abiodun Agunbiade - Ionel Ganea, Gigel Bucur with Martinez coming on for Bucur in the 80th minute.
Next match against Rapid will be very interesting, as it will probably determined the course of the rest of the season. It's Sunday, at 20.30 I believe.
Artavazd Karamyan, Poli's No. 1 Player in 2007
The regional weekly newspaper Fotbal Vest has rewarded Karamyan with the distinction of best Poli player of the year 2007, according to the average ratings he received from the writing staff. Karamyan averaged 6.32 in 31 matches, tallying 12 assists and 7 goals. He will receive the trophy today, before the match against Unirea Urziceni.
This is hardly surprising, as Karamyan is considered the best left midfielder in the country, despite gsp awarding the title to CFR's Emmanuel Culio - based on their very dodgy scoring system. Hopefully he will keep up the good performances and if he leaves this summer, it will be to a top European club.
This is hardly surprising, as Karamyan is considered the best left midfielder in the country, despite gsp awarding the title to CFR's Emmanuel Culio - based on their very dodgy scoring system. Hopefully he will keep up the good performances and if he leaves this summer, it will be to a top European club.
2/29/2008
A Last Transfer
Tiberiu Balan, of Sportul Studentesc, has joined Poli on loan until the end of the season. The 27 year old midfielder has been capped six times at international level for Romania, but his last two seasons were plagued with injuries. Being a player of high quality, if he manages return to his previous form, there is no doubt as to whether the team will need him or not.
On another note, it has been brought to my attention that Jonathan McKain signed with Wellington Phoenix, a New Zealand based team. It's good to see players of some integrity still exist, McKain having promised that he would only leave Poli for a foreign team - which he did. It's too bad that it happened under these circumstances, but surely, there is always more behind things than we can see.
On another note, it has been brought to my attention that Jonathan McKain signed with Wellington Phoenix, a New Zealand based team. It's good to see players of some integrity still exist, McKain having promised that he would only leave Poli for a foreign team - which he did. It's too bad that it happened under these circumstances, but surely, there is always more behind things than we can see.
2/28/2008
Vrsic's Return...
...should take place in about a month from now! Just wanted to let you all know about the Dare's statement on the club's official website, www.politimisoara.com.
2/24/2008
Pandurii - Poli 1:3 (0:1)
Finally football again, and what a sweet pay-off for the months of "abstinence"! Poli controlled the match well against lowly Pandurii, but more than that, they kept focused throughout most of the game and won it convincingly.
Barely had the referee whistled the debut of the first half that Karamyan and Ganea came close to opening the score. It was however Bucur who did it in the 20th minute, after a Karamyan free-kick was punched to him by Pandurii's goalkeeper, Mingote! Aliuta then stretched the keeper with a long-shot, before Luchin, Karamyan and Bucur were all denied within one minute by the home side's Portuguese goalie.
After half-time, our side's efficiency increased. Just five minutes after the break, Abiodun received a great pass from Borbely, dribbled the goalkeeper and finished easily for 2:0. After Luchin's missed header a few minutes later, it was Borbely's turn to score, who sent a scorcher from thirty meters which hit the post and went in! While Pandurii managed to peg one back through Piturca, it was not enough for them to truly challenge Poli's win - which would have actually been by an even larger margin, had Popovici managed to convert the fine counter-attack lead by Aliuta, in the game's dying minutes.
Poli: Popa (6) - Milhazes (6), Brezinsky (6), Luchin (6,5), Badoi (6) -Art. Karamyan (6), Aliuta (6), Borbely (7), Abiodun (6,5) - Bucur (6), Ganea (6); Arman Karamyan, Popovici and Axente came on for Artavazd Karamyan, Bucur si Abiodun.
You can watch Bucur's goal here, Abiodun's here and Borbely's here.
So a great match to hit it off, which leaves room for hope! However, given Pandurii's poor quality of football, the level of our own potential remains in doubt, at least until next week's match against Unirea Urziceni.
Barely had the referee whistled the debut of the first half that Karamyan and Ganea came close to opening the score. It was however Bucur who did it in the 20th minute, after a Karamyan free-kick was punched to him by Pandurii's goalkeeper, Mingote! Aliuta then stretched the keeper with a long-shot, before Luchin, Karamyan and Bucur were all denied within one minute by the home side's Portuguese goalie.
After half-time, our side's efficiency increased. Just five minutes after the break, Abiodun received a great pass from Borbely, dribbled the goalkeeper and finished easily for 2:0. After Luchin's missed header a few minutes later, it was Borbely's turn to score, who sent a scorcher from thirty meters which hit the post and went in! While Pandurii managed to peg one back through Piturca, it was not enough for them to truly challenge Poli's win - which would have actually been by an even larger margin, had Popovici managed to convert the fine counter-attack lead by Aliuta, in the game's dying minutes.
Poli: Popa (6) - Milhazes (6), Brezinsky (6), Luchin (6,5), Badoi (6) -Art. Karamyan (6), Aliuta (6), Borbely (7), Abiodun (6,5) - Bucur (6), Ganea (6); Arman Karamyan, Popovici and Axente came on for Artavazd Karamyan, Bucur si Abiodun.
You can watch Bucur's goal here, Abiodun's here and Borbely's here.
So a great match to hit it off, which leaves room for hope! However, given Pandurii's poor quality of football, the level of our own potential remains in doubt, at least until next week's match against Unirea Urziceni.
2/23/2008
Borbely Interview
In what is obviously an excess of spare time, I've come to translate another interview, this time with the Slovakian international Balasz Borbely. It was published in Gazeta Sporturilor.
"I'm Ready!"
R: Balasz, does Poli have, at this time, a team capable of playing in the European Cups?
B: It's hard to tell now, because I haven't seen the other teams in the league play yet. I do know for certain though that we have high quality players.
R: You've played in the Champions League. What does a football player feel when he reaches that level?
B: It's hard to describe in words, you have to experience such a match from the pitch. Everybody knows what games in the Champions League mean. It's too early to talk about Poli and the Champions League in the same sentence. We have to approach each match at a time and stay focused. Who knows what the next year will bring?
R: Your first match is the one against Pandurii. Are you ready?
B: Yes, Im ready. I don't have any problems whatsoever now. I'm totally prepared. The first game is always the most difficult one, but it all comes down to us. We don't know them very well, but we'll probably watch more tapes until Sunday.
R: How is Timisoara?
B: It's even more beautiful than Bratislava! I often walk around the city and I see many young people, students, who - I believe - like football a lot. I have everything I need here to be calm and keep concentrated just on football.
R: Poli suffered plentiful in defense, in the first part of the season.
B: Yes, I've heard of that. Perhaps we still need a bit of time. The defensive play has to involve the whole team and that's what we all need to understand. I believe however that it will be much better, because we have a manager who involves himself a lot in order to improve this situation.
R: Have you made any friends at Poli?
B: I get along very well with "Lionel" Ganea. I've talked to him and he helped me get integrated quickly. As he's played in Germany, it was much easier for us to communicate. "Lionel" is always up to something, but he's a great guy.
"I'm Ready!"
R: Balasz, does Poli have, at this time, a team capable of playing in the European Cups?
B: It's hard to tell now, because I haven't seen the other teams in the league play yet. I do know for certain though that we have high quality players.
R: You've played in the Champions League. What does a football player feel when he reaches that level?
B: It's hard to describe in words, you have to experience such a match from the pitch. Everybody knows what games in the Champions League mean. It's too early to talk about Poli and the Champions League in the same sentence. We have to approach each match at a time and stay focused. Who knows what the next year will bring?
R: Your first match is the one against Pandurii. Are you ready?
B: Yes, Im ready. I don't have any problems whatsoever now. I'm totally prepared. The first game is always the most difficult one, but it all comes down to us. We don't know them very well, but we'll probably watch more tapes until Sunday.
R: How is Timisoara?
B: It's even more beautiful than Bratislava! I often walk around the city and I see many young people, students, who - I believe - like football a lot. I have everything I need here to be calm and keep concentrated just on football.
R: Poli suffered plentiful in defense, in the first part of the season.
B: Yes, I've heard of that. Perhaps we still need a bit of time. The defensive play has to involve the whole team and that's what we all need to understand. I believe however that it will be much better, because we have a manager who involves himself a lot in order to improve this situation.
R: Have you made any friends at Poli?
B: I get along very well with "Lionel" Ganea. I've talked to him and he helped me get integrated quickly. As he's played in Germany, it was much easier for us to communicate. "Lionel" is always up to something, but he's a great guy.
And here is a picture of the five winter transfers.
Photo: Istvan Sasz, Prosport
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