Steaua won the 2020/21 Romanian Cup after a win over Oradea in the final. The match was decided after a penalty shootout (10:9).
Steaua was the host of the final tournament in Bucharest, while Oradea arrived in the capital of Romania as the title-defender.
Steaua and Oradea had no problems in the quarterfinals and the semifinals. Both teams recorded convincing wins on the first two competition days.
Steaua advanced to the final after wins over Crisul Oradea (28:1) and Sportul Studentesc (19:7). Oradea beat Politehnica Cluj (21:8) in the quarterfinals and defeated Dinamo Bucharest (11:4) in the semis.
The final game was dramatic. Steaua started better and gained a 3:1 lead in the first eight minutes. At halftime, Steaua led 6:4. But, the third quarter of this low-scoring match belonged to Oradea. The first goal in the second half was scored in the 23rd minute (5:6), while Colodrovschi equalized 42 seconds before the last break – 6:6.
In the middle of the final period, Mihnea Gheorghe put Steaua in front (7:6). But, Oradea’s Dragoljub Rogac found the net two seconds before the end, and the drama was continued with the penalty shootout.
Only two of Oradea’s players scored in the shootout (Popoviciu and V.Georgescu), while Adachi, R.Georgescu, and Vatrai missed. Negrean, Gheorghe and Fulea scored for Steaua in the first three rounds. Priotaesa missed in the fourth round, but after that Ramiro Georgescu failed to score, and Steaua recorded took the trophy with a 10:9 victory.
The Bucharest-based team took revenge for the defeat to Oradea in the 2020 Romanian Cup final. Last year, the match also ended in a draw, and Oradea beat Steaua after a shootout (14:13).
This is the 12th Romanian Cup for Steaua, while Oradea has four trophies.
2020/21 Romanian Cup, Bucharest (March 12 – 14)
Quarterfinals
Steaua Bucharest – Crisul Oradea 28:1 (4:0, 7:0, 6:0, 11:1)
CSM Oradea – Politehnica Cluj-Napoca 21:8 (5:2, 6:2, 7:1, 3:3)
Dinamo Bucharest – Rapid Bucharest 10:5 (2:2, 1:0, 6:1, 1:2)
Sportul Studentesc bye
Semifinals
For places 1st – 4th
Steaua – Sportul 19:7 (4:2, 4:1, 6:2, 5:2)
CSM Oradea – Dinamo 11:4 (2:0, 2:1, 3:2, 4:1)
For places 5th – 7th
Politehnica Cluj – Rapid Bucharest 8:18 (3:5, 1:5, 2:4, 2:4)
Matches for the final standings
5th-place game
Crisul Oradea – Rapid 7:10 (2:1, 1:2, 3:3, 1:4)
3rd-place game
Dinamo Bucharest – Sportul Studentesc 9:10 (1:2, 3:3, 3:4, 2:1)
FINAL
Steaua – Oradea 10:9 (3:1, 3:3, 0:2, 1:1, PSO 3:2)
CSA Steaua: Gheorge 2, Negrean 2, Prioteasa 1, Popescu 1, Iudean 1.
CSM Oradea: Rogac 2, Colodrovschi 2, V.Georgescu 1, Popoviciu 1, Adachi 1.
Penalty shots – Steaua: Negrean, Gheorhe, Fulea, Oradea: Popoviciu and V.Georgescu.
“Spectators”
The Final Eight was played without spectators, but the stands weren’t empty. Many teddy bears, Steaua’s mascots, “attended” the final match.
Photo: CSA Steaua Bucuresti/FB
