Universitatea Craiova thrashes UTA 4-0; CFR Cluj loses 2-1 at Galați in Superliga openers

The opening round of Romania's Superliga football season saw contrasting fortunes for the nation's top clubs. Reigning champions Universitatea Craiova began their title defense with a resounding 4-0 victory over UTA Arad in Craiova. Meanwhile, CFR Cluj, a team that has dominated Romanian football for the past decade, was unexpectedly defeated 2-1 by Oțelul Galați.

The match in Craiova faced a potential delay due to a uniform clash, as UTA initially presented with an outfit similar to the home team's. Universitatea Craiova eventually agreed to let UTA wear their red-and-white kit, while the hosts donned their third, predominantly dark blue, uniform. The game remained balanced in the first half, with both teams having chances, including saves from Gorcea and shots from Ndimba, Mekvabishvili, Abdallah, Samuel Teles, and Tzionis.

Universitatea Craiova took control in the second half. Samuel Teles opened the scoring in the 62nd minute with a shot from outside the box, assisted by Baiaram. Cicâldău hit the post in the 67th minute, and after Sava saved Coman's shot in the 81st minute, Craiova extended their lead. Carlos Mora provided assists for Baiaram (86th minute) and Elisor (89th minute), and an own goal by Alomerovic in the 90+2 minute sealed the dominant 4-0 win. This victory propelled Universitatea Craiova to the top of the league table.

In Galați, Oțelul secured a dramatic 2-1 win against CFR Cluj. Joao Lameira opened the scoring for the hosts with a header in the 4th minute. Despite chances for both sides, including a significant miss by Andrezinho for Oțelul in the 52nd minute, CFR Cluj equalized through Andrei Cordea six minutes later. However, Oțelul clinched the victory in the 86th minute when Patrick converted a pass from Pedro Nuno with a powerful shot.