Courtesy of Marius Niculae’s late strike, Dinamo Bucureşti defeated Oţelul Galaţi 2-1 at Stadionul Ştefan cel Mare to maintain their unbeaten start to the Liga 1 campaign. With the result Liviu Ciobotariu’s “cîinii roşii” sit at the top of the table, three points ahead of Rapid ahead of next weeks battle against Vaslui.

Weighed down with mid-week Europa League play, the Dinamo tactician made three changes to his line-up against Sportul Studentesc last week with Dragos Grigore, Nicolae Musat and Bogdan Pătrascu entering for Adrian Scarlatache, Zie Diabaté and Gabriel Torje. Chances were sparing early until Dinamo took the 1-0 lead midway of the half as Cosmin Moti raised high to head in a corner from the left, his first goal of the campaign. The visitors responded within the minute and only a quick block at the line by Dragos Grigore kept Sorin Frunză’s levelling attempt from hitting the mark but following that brief advance neither side threatened and Dinamo took the one goal advantage to the break.

At the hour mark Liviu Antal was gifted a high probability chance to level as he was played the ball on the right side of the area but he scuffed his shot ten metres from Dinamo goalkeeper Cristian Bălgrădean. However the visitors would not be deterred and with twenty minutes remaining in regulation time Gabriel Paraschiv’s free-kick from the right bounced through the box to the back post where veteran Sergiu Costin poked into the net. Dinamo quickly upped its tempo with Gabriel Torje, coming off the bench for Nicolae Musat at the sixty-third minute, the centre of the storm. After a menacing free kick drifted wide, his corner from the left was nodded in by veteran Marius Niculae at the back post to give Dinamo the lead they would not relinquish.

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In a match pre-set with the by-line of Gabriel Torje’s final match for Dinamo Bucureşti before making his way to presumably greener pastures, the host “cîinii roşii” fell 3-2 to Vorskla Poltava to fall out of the Europa League via a 5-3 aggregate.

Dinamo started quickly with a number of menacing expects with none other that Gabriel Torje the centre of the storm including a laser free-kick from distance that rasped off the workout. However, the visitors claim the lead with the all-important away goal eight minutes past the hour as Ahmed Januzi re-directed a free-kick from the left. Not to be denied and living up to this billing, Gabriel Torje levelled with masterful goal just shy of the break as he sent a stunning free-kick to the back of the

Attacking ruthlessly, Dinamo continued to cue up for the goal ahead goal but the final touch evaded them with the visitors resource in the final third. With the outcome far from guaranteed Oleg Barannik put his side up 2-1, 4-2 aggregate with eighteen minutes remaining dove to send in Armend Dallku’s right wing cross. Only six minutes later the nineteen year-old striker notched the second of the day to effectively make the contest fait accompli and he was played through on the right channel before depositing the ball through the ‘keepers legs to the back of the net. Still there was time for goodbyes as at the eighty-fourth minute Gabriel Torje exited and bid farewell to the faithful. As time wound down the highly promising George Ţucudean pulled one back for Dinamo as he latched onto a long ball on the right before chipping it above the on-rushing goalkeeper but that would be as close as it would get as Vorskla Poltava returned home with the 3-2 victory.

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With the calm demeanour of a champion, Dinamo Bucureşti defeated Sportul Studentesc 2-0 at Stadion Regie to maintain their perfect start of the Liga 1 campaign. The result pushes Liviu Ciobotariu’s “cîinii roşii” three points above rival Rapid, with four victories in as many matches with Dinamo yet to surrender a goal.

Coming off last weeks victory over Pandurii Târgu Jiu and in lieu of the upcoming Europa League fixture, Mr. Ciobotariu made two changes to his starting eleven with Adrian Scarlatache and veteran Dorel Stoica entering for Dragos Grigore and Elis Bakaj.

Starting quickly, Dinamo narrowly missed taking the lead at the fourth minute as Marius Niculae’s header off Gabriel Torje cross from the right by-line rasped off the crossbar to safety. Dinamo continued to be the more aggressive of the two, with Gabriel Torje being a consistent menace, but was unable to break the deadlock through to the break.

Continuing to break after the re-start, Dinamo took the lead they would not relinquish a minute shy of the hour as once again the veteran core showed their pedigree as Ionel Dănciulescu surged through the box to re-direct a cross from the right past goalkeeper Octavian Ormenisan. Turning the screw, the Dinamo tactician quickly called upon Liviu Ganea for the skipper and it was not long until the rising star added his name on the score-sheet. Via a fast assault on the right, the twenty-two year-old striker outraced defender Răzvan Patriche to powerfully head in a cross from the right. Dinamo maintain tight defending lines throughout the balance of time to claim the 2-0 victory.

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Ukrainian Premier League side Vorskla Poltava continued its unblemished run in the early stages of this year’s Europa League as they opened their tie with Romanian powerhouse Dinamo Bucureşti with a 2-1 victory courtesy of Pavlo Rebenok’s late strike.

Vorskla, yet to lose or relinquish a goal during the two previous qualifying rounds, took a 1-0 lead at the thirty-second minute when Yevhen Selin’s cross from the left by-line to the back post was headed in by Ivan Kryvosheyenko.

Play was tight with Liviu Ciobotariu’s “cîinii roşii” notching the leveller with an artistic display as Cătălin Munteanu deftly lofted the ball in for Marius Niculae on the right side of the area, to which the veteran brought it down with control before firing to the smallest opening to the near post. Six minutes later match day referee Liran Liany handed Dragoş Grigore his second yellow-card of the night thus forcing Dinamo Bucureşti to play the balance of time with a man disadvantage. With a draw looking in the horizon, Vorskla lodged the winning margin as Roman Bezus’ effort from the right was not cleared sufficiently by Dinamo ‘keeper Cristian Bălgrădean to which Pavlo Rebenok latched onto the rebound and after seeing his first attempt blocked he delivered the second into the roof of the net for the 2-1 result.

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On the backs of their sturdy veteran line-up Dinamo Bucureşti continued its quest for its first domestic crown since 2007 with a confident 2-0 victory over Pandurii Târgu Jiu in week three of the Liga 1 campaign.

Liviu Ciobotariu’s “cîinii roşii” looked to take the lead early but squandered a chance from the spot at the tenth minute when Cătălin Munteanu was unable to convert from the spot. Chances were few and far between as the match went the break scoreless.

At the restart the Dinamo tactician added Dorel Stoica for Elis Bakaj and it took only three minutes for them to take the lead they would not relinquish. Coming via a through ball on the left channel Marius Niculae rifled a low cross that skipper Ionel Dănciulescu re-directed into the net from six metres. With nineteen minutes in regulation the spot was pointed to after Gabriel Torje was brought down harshly in the area. In the ensuing effort Marius Niculae drilled the ball to the low right corner of the net to seal Dinamo Bucureşti’s 2-0 victory.

Prepared by John Davies
©Europa League News, 2011
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