The champion and the 2nd place holder in the previous edition of the Superliga met at the “Ion Oblemenco” Stadium in Bănie. As happened in the final of the Romanian Cup, Olten won the Supercup on penalty kicks (5-3). After 90 minutes of play it was 1-1.
Mekvabishvili converted and Olten won the Romanian Supercup (5-3 on penalties).
Drammeh also scored with great confidence. Craiova University – “U” Cluj 4-3.
Mora scored even though Lefter was on the verge of denying. University of Craiova – “U” Cluj 4-2.
Ștefănescu converted without problems. Craiova University – “U” Cluj 3-2.
Cicadau beat Lefter although the ‘U’s keeper went to that corner. Craiova University – “U” Cluj 3-1.
Macalou sent over the goal. Craiova University – “U” Cluj 2-1.
Rus shot to the right and Lefter went to the opposite corner. Craiova University – “U” Cluj 2-1.
Alex Chipciu scored without problems. Craiova University – “U” Cluj 1-1.
The first to execute the people of Craiova. Al Hamlawi surely converted, sending to the left as Lefter went into the other corner. University of Craiova – “U” Cluj 1-0.
The situation in the final of the Romanian Cup 2025/2026, won by Craiova University after penalty kicks, is being repeated. Olteni won 6-5, Cristea being the one who missed from Cluj.
There will be no extra time, the teams will be tied with kicks from 11 meters.
Min. 90+: Rus commented on a decision by referee Iulian Călin and saw the yellow card.
Min. 90+: Al Hamlawi came on for Stevanovic,
4 minutes of overtime was announced.
Min. 90: Nistor delayed the execution of a free kick from about 30 meters and saw the yellow card.
Min. 85: The University of Craiova dominates with authority. Romanchuk shot from about 25 meters, but the ball went well over the goal of Cluj.
Min. 83: Cicâldău recovered the ball on the left side and from about 24 meters sent the ball into the crossbar.
Min. 74: Mora saw the yellow card for a simulation.
Min. 70: Found in the box, Elisor shot and Lefter deflected in the corner.
Min. 67: Ștefănescu crossed from the left, and Makalou resumed near the goal.
Min. 65: Aliev saw the yellow card.
Min. 64: Ștefănescu escaped alone, scored, but was flagged for offside.
Min. 62: Changes at the University of Craiova. Screciu and Nsimba left, Rus and Elisor entered.
Min. 54 – GOOOL: Aliev scored, but was flagged for offside. When checked in the VAR room, the goal was validated. Craiova University and “U” Cluj are tied again, 1-1.
Min. 52: Cristea dispossessed Nsimba in the middle of the box.
Min. 51: Corner for “U” Cluj without result.
Min. 46: Tavares replaced Baiaram. At “U”, Simion and Poulolo came out. Ștefănescu and Macalou entered. The game resumed.
BREAK: The match had rhythm. The two teams tried to endanger the opposing goal with actions at speed or with balloons sent to the people in the outposts. Craiova University had an extremely dangerous player in Nsimba. After three scoring opportunities, he managed to score.
3 minutes of extra time were shown.
Min. 45: Stanoev blocked Bancu and sent to the corner. Craiova scored, but Mekvabishvili was flagged for offside.
Min. 44: A new corner for Craiova University, Mekvabishvili crossed and Romanchuk resumed with a header.
Min. 40 – GOOOL! Released by Mekvabishvili, Nsimba beat Lefter with a shot to the short corner. Craiova University leads 1-0.
Min. 39: Baiaram sprinted to the left, crossed, but Cluj rejected in the corner. The corner kick was unsuccessful, with Lefter holding onto the ball.
Min. 37: Cristea and Nsimba disputed the ball, in the box, and then they had a small conflict that did not degenerate.
Min. 35: Cluj’s counterattack. Aliev shot, but Sava managed to repel in the corner.
Min. 33: Launched on the left side, in the box, Nsimba resumed towards the goal, but the ball cleared the right post and left the field.
Min. 29: Running alone towards the goal, Nsimba lobbed the Lefter keeper out to close his angle, but the ball went wide of the ‘U’s goal.
Min. 28: The goalkeeper Lefter from Cluj stopped the ball shot by Bancu in two times.
The University of Craiova took a big step towards the 2nd round of the Champions League preliminaries
Min. 24: Poulolo fouled Nsimba about 30 meters from the Cluj goal. He was sent into the box from a free kick, but the visitors rejected.
Min. 20: Bic sent a long ball towards Pinho, who was on the edge of the home team’s box, but the Craiova team intervened and removed the danger.
Min. 15: Bancu managed to stop Stanoev, sought with a pass by the same Pinho.
Min. 14: After a good start by Craiova University, the match was balanced and Aliev, launched by Pinho, entered the box and sent it past the hosts’ goal from about 12 meters.
About 11,000 spectators attend the match.
Min. 6: Stanojev deflected in front of Baiaram who was preparing to take the ball back towards the goal. The corner was left without a result.
Min. 4: Baiaram sprinted to the left, crossed, but Nsimba resumed near the Cluj goal.
START MATCH. The people from Craiova play in blue-white equipment, the people from Cluj in black. The National Anthem was sung and after the players shook hands, a moment of silence was held for Radu Mărgineanu and Gabi Mureșan. Then, referee Iulian Călin blew the whistle to start the game.
The match will be refereed by a brigade with Iulian Călin in the center, who will be assisted on the two lines by Florin Neacșu and Marin Nicușor. The fourth referee will be Florin Andrei, while Laszlo Imre Bucsi was the reserve delegate. Adrian Cojocaru (VAR referee) and Valentin Porumbel (VAR assistant) will be in the VAR room.
As this will be the first match where the new VAR Hub from Mogoșoaia will be used, FRR announced that a back-up solution directly at the stadium has also been prepared for this match. Thus, Marcel Bîrsan and Sorin Costreie were designated VAR reserve referees.
The starting teams
Craiova University (1-3-4-3): 90. R. Sava – 3. Romanchuk, 8. Screciu, 24. Stevanovic – 17. Mora, 8. T. Baluta, 5. Mekvabishvili, 11. Bancu – 30. Matei, 7. Nsimba, 10. Baiaram
“U” Cluj drew a precious draw in the first leg with Dinamo Kiev
Reserves: 21. L. Popescu, 4. Crețu, 12. Monday Etim, 15. Badelj, 18. M. Rădulescu, 19. Tavares, 20. Cicâldău, 22. Elisor, 23. Teles, 28. A. Rus, 29. Băsceanu, 9. Al Hamlawi.
Coach: Filipe Coelho
“U” Cluj (1-4-2-3-1): 1. Lefter – 33, Stanojev, 6. Cristea, 22. Poulolo, 27, Chipciu – 8. Codrea, 98. Simion – 18. Pinho, 10. Nistor, 94. Bic – 25, Aliev
Reserves: 93. Neofytos, 99. Coșa, 12. Adams, 2. Chinteș, 4. Coubiș, 59. Techereș, 14, Ștefănescu, 7, Drammeh, 29. Mendy, 19. Macalou, 20. Chukwu, 9. A. Trică
Coach: Cristiano Bergodi
The most titled team in the Romanian Supercup is FCSB, which won the trophy 8 times (1994, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2006, 2013, 2024, 2025), playing the game another six times. On the following places are Rapid – 4 (1999, 2002, 2003, 2007), CFR Cluj – 4 (2009, 2010, 2018, 2020), Dinamo – 2 (2005, 2012), Astra Giurgiu – 2 (2014, 2016), Sepsi Sf. Gheorghe – 2 (2022, 2023), Oțelul Galati – 1 (2011), ASA Tg. Mureș – 1 (2015), FC Voluntari – 1 (2017), Viitorul Constanța – 1 (2019), Craiova University – 1 (2021). The National Stadium (Arena Națională) in Bucharest hosted the most matches of the Super Cup, eight in number.
Opposing for the first time in the Romanian Supercup, the University of Craiova and “U” Cluj contested in the spring both trophies put at stake in our football. First, on May 13, in Sibiu, the team from Bănie won the Romanian Cup. As there was no score even after the two overtime periods, it was time for the penalty kicks. Chapter where the Oltenians proved that they have stronger nerves, winning 6-5 (Cristea was the one who missed in the 6th series).
Then, after only four days, Craiova University won 5-0 and the championship match hosted by the “Ion Oblemenco” stadium. And that victory brought the team from Bănie the title of champion, one that they had not won since 1991. At the same time, Olteni got revenge against Cluj for the hard failure (0-4) suffered on April 13.
