Universitatea Craiova held to draw at home by Ararat-Armenia, qualification hangs in balance

Universitatea Craiova faced a frustrating 1-1 draw at home against Ararat-Armenia in the first leg of the Europa League playoffs. The Romanian champions conceded a goal in the 20th minute to Alexandros Malis but managed to equalize through Nicușor Bancu in the 33rd minute. However, they could not secure a victory, complicating their chances for the second leg in Yerevan.

Pavel Badea, president of Universitatea Craiova, labeled the result a "semi-failure." He suggested the team could have overcome the Armenian side if they had performed at 80% of their previous season's level. Badea noted that while the opponent was difficult, they were not individually superior. He expressed hope that the team would "wake up" and play to their past standards.

Badea highlighted significant defensive problems, particularly conceding goals from set pieces, an issue not present in the previous season. He stressed the urgency of fixing these issues, stating that without improvement, the team has no chance of progressing. He also appealed to fans to support player Baiaram, an "oltean, craiovean" (local to the region), urging them to stop jeering him to prevent losing his confidence and willingness to take risks.

The match saw early chances for Universitatea Craiova, with Al Hamlawi and Mekvabishvili missing opportunities. Ararat-Armenia took the lead through Malis, but Bancu's equalizer kept the tie open. Despite further chances before halftime, Craiova could not find a go-ahead goal, leaving their qualification hopes hanging in the balance for the away leg.