We produced a very good first-half performance against Universitatea Cluj, but unfortunately could not find the net. The visitors gained the upper hand in the second half, yet they too failed to score. On the balance of play, however, a home victory would also have been a fair outcome.

We produced a very good first-half performance against Universitatea Cluj, but unfortunately could not find the net. The visitors gained the upper hand in the second half, yet they too failed to score. On the balance of play, however, a home victory would also have been a fair outcome.

The match marking the end of the first half of the regular season began with a special moment at the Municipal Stadium: visiting head coach Cristiano Bergodi was honoured on the occasion of his 300th match in charge of a team in Romania’s top flight. After kick-off, however, we did more to make the occasion memorable for our own side.

We played boldly and took the initiative, testing the opposition defence from the opening minutes. In the fifth minute, Lefter comfortably saved Kukovec Nino’s shot, but a minute later our striker posed a greater threat with a header from Pászka Lóránd’s cross, only for the ball to go over the bar. In the 13th minute, Trif broke through down the left, but his left-footed effort went wide.

We continued to get into promising positions. In the 23rd minute, Nyitra Szabolcs tested Lefter at the end of a fine counterattack, before Lima headed narrowly wide three minutes later. We played with good tempo and confidence, but the opening goal did not come. At the other end, Pap Eduard was called upon to save a dangerous Macalou shot in the 37th minute.

Towards the end of the first half, referee Gabriel Mihuleac stopped play because of anti-Hungarian chanting from the away section. The teams went into the break goalless, although our performance up to that point had given us every reason to hope we could take the lead.

The first chances after the restart also fell to us: in the 51st minute, Horváth Artúr headed wide from close range, before Lima unleashed a dangerous left-footed shot from around eighteen metres in the 53rd minute, the ball passing just wide of the post. Two minutes later, Pap had to use his foot to keep out Macalou’s attempt.

Universitatea put us under increasing pressure and had the ball in our net in the 63rd minute. After we lost possession near the halfway line, Chipciu played in Ștefănescu, who broke through on the edge of offside and finished the chance. Following a VAR review, however, the goal was ruled out for offside. In the 70th minute, Lukić was able to receive the ball unmarked inside the penalty area, but Pap closed down the angle at the right moment and blocked his shot.

We still had chances to score a winner in the closing stages. In the 77th minute, Szalay Szabolcs set up Kukovec, but our striker failed to connect cleanly with the ball, while in the 82nd minute Lefter saved a long-range effort from substitute Noveli Luca. A minute later, Raul Palmeș deserved the praise at the other end as he cleared Chipciu’s shot off the line. At the end of normal time, Lukić laid the ball off to Stanojev, but our defence once again intervened, ensuring the match ended in a goalless draw.

Speaking after the final whistle, head coach Suciu Valentin felt that the chances we created could have earned us more from the game.

“We can say we dropped two points; perhaps we deserved more. We created chances, but unfortunately we could not convert them. At the same time, we have to appreciate this point as well. I congratulate the boys on their effort and the chances they created, but we still need to work on our finishing,” our head coach said.

Discussing the difference between the two halves, he said the first had clearly belonged to us, while he considered the second more evenly balanced. He acknowledged that the visitors had put us under pressure, but stressed that our team deserved credit for preventing them from turning that pressure into a succession of clear-cut chances. The coaching staff tried to freshen things up with substitutions, but during their first five to ten minutes on the pitch, the players coming on did not provide the contribution expected of them.

The decision to deploy Pászka Lóránd in midfield was primarily a defensive one: alongside Trif, he was tasked with neutralising Macalou, who was considered a particularly dangerous opponent. His experience, however, also proved useful in attack. Suciu described both the team’s increasingly confident approach and the support from the stands as encouraging:

“Match by match, the players are beginning to regain their confidence. When the stadium is full, with the away fans encouraging their team and our supporters backing us, it can give us a real boost at home. That showed in our confidence as well,” said our head coach, who also made the priorities for the international break clear. “We need to work on our shortcomings and our confidence, but the most important objective is to score goals. We have to create even more chances and, when we get into those positions, be more efficient and clinical.”

Superliga, regular season, Round 15
FK Csíkszereda – Universitatea Cluj 0–0
Miercurea Ciuc, Municipal Stadium, 7 November 2026, 15:00, attendance: 1,300

Referee: Gabriel Mihuleac (Iași). Assistants: Nicușor Florentin Marin (Argeș), Claudiu Schiopet (Brașov). Fourth official: Ana Maria Alexandra Terteleac (Ilfov). VAR: Adrian Sorin Costreie (Ilfov). AVAR: Claudiu Marcu (Constanța). Referee observer: Adrian Comănescu (Vâlcea).

Our line-up: Pap Eduard – Hegedűs János, Csürös Attila, Palmeș Raul, Trif Răzvan, Ódor Máté (Stahl Albert, 80.), Horváth Artúr (Vuković Dušan, 61.), Pászka Lóránd, Nyitra Szabolcs (Noveli Luca, 80.), Lima (Szalay Szabolcs, 68.), Kukovec Nino (Eppel Márton, 80.). Head coach: Suciu Valentin.

Unused substitutes: Karácsony Márk, Veres Szilárd, Jebari Soufiane, Czékus Ádám, Tajti Mátyás, Oniga Victor, Magyar Zsolt.

Universitatea Cluj: Lefter Ștefan – Mikanović Dino, Cristea Lucian, Poulolo Florent, Chipciu Alexandru, Bic Ovidiu, Nistor Dan (Stanojev Jug, 60.), Macalou Issouf, Pinho Pedro (Adams Friday, 60.), Ștefănescu Marius (Gheorghiță Andrei, 90+1.), Lukić Jovo. Head coach: Cristiano Bergodi.

Unused substitutes: Moldovan Denis, Michael Neofytos, Chinteș Alin, Techereș Ionel, Bodnar Eduard, Páll Lukács.

Yellow cards: Mikanović (59.), Bic (79.).

The second half of the regular season begins after the international break: in Round 16, we host Corvinul Hunedoara at the Municipal Stadium on Saturday, 21 November, with kick-off at 15:00.