Article by Sergiu Alexandru – published on Thursday, July 24, 2025, 23:25 / Updated Thursday, July 24, 2025 23:3
Lugano and CFR Cluj finished in a draw, 0-0, in the first leg of the tour 2 of the Europa League preliminaries. The qualification will be decided in the return of July 31.
Chronicle by Sergiu Alexandru: It was bad, it could be better »CFR Cluj was scared for nothing! Could leave victorious if Muhar didn't miss a penalty
Despite Dan Petrescu's concern, CFR Cluj has better adapted to the Synthetic Synthetic. And had a better pace. And in the 10th minute he could open the score.
Muhar laughs and misses!
In the 9th minute, Louis Munteanu is pulled by the shirt in the box. The referee dictates the penalty, the Var room does not return the phase, and CFR Cluj has an unexpected chance, at the end of minutes in which the hosts had possession.
Karlo Muhar assumes responsibility. Calm, smiling, relaxed. That's how he was surprised by the TV cameras, trying to show that he did not feel the pressure. The 29 -year -old Croatian went relaxed to the ball, beat the side, placed. But, bad luck! The ball hits the bar.
Lugano really doesn't look like a dragon!
Then the rain followed at Thun. The good part was that CFR Cluj was not affected by the penalty failure and continued the solid performance. It was also helped by the game provided by Lugano, who was not the dragon Dan Petrescu spoke of. And Otto Hindrich was unemployed in the gate of Cluj. It had only a few simple phases, control interventions. On the other side, Korenica signed another opportunity, but her shot, from 25 meters, was rejected in the corner, under the bar.
This is how the first 45 minutes were drained.
Confusion in debut
The second half began with a confusion phase. The English referee, named Darren England, dictated a penalty after a sliding entrance to Louis Munteanu. But the phase was turned after a minute of analysis in the lime room: the foul was outside the box.
The game then continued after a simple scenario. Lugano with possession, CFR Cluj with solid defense. Only once, Koutsias (60) took advantage of a crack in Petrescu's defense. It started well, but resumed much over the gate, from 6 meters.
Possession without remote occasions and kicks
Until the end, Lungano pointed to statistics: greater possession, more passes and more kings. But nothing dangerous. CFR Cluj closed the spaces well, defended organized, and the hosts could only shoot from a distance. But no shot created panic.
On the offensive phase, CFR appeared only once, in the 85th minute, when Munteanu fired from 12 meters, over the gate. In the end, Petrescu had emotions when Hindrich accused medical problems. But he could continue. It was over 0-0, and everything will be decided in the return from Cluj.
3Games without a goal has CFR Cluj this season
The Lugano-CFR Cluj 0-0 CFR match
min. 90+7: Final match!
min. 90: From the edge shows 7 minutes of extension
min. 85: Munteanu pulls from 12 meters, from angle. The ball goes a little over the gate
min. 80: Last 10 minutes to Thun. Lugano dominates and has possession, but does not create dangerous opportunities. Next CFR Cluj defends well and closes the spaces
min. 77: Karlo Muhar comes out and is replaced by peacock. Croatian accused medical problems and could not continue
min. 72: Steffen pulls from 18 meters. The ball goes over the gate with no emotions for Hindrich
min 60: Lugano's biggest opportunity. Koutsias demarked on the edge of the small box and resumes from the first, but over the gate.
min. 55: Hindrich came out excellent from the gate and detained a ball at 12 meters, blocking a combination of the Swiss.
min. 50: It will not be a penalty! From the Var room it was transmitted that the foul was not in the box. It's a free kick from the edge of the square
min. 48: Referee Darren England shows a penalty for CFR Cluj, after an entrance by slip on Louis Munteanu, Papadoupolus is the one who made the foul, after he first reached the ball. The phase is checked in the lime room. Resumes show that the foul was outside the box
min. 46: Start in the second half!
min. 45+1: Pause!
min. 42: Hindrich is on the stage and holds from the short corner a ball sent to the small paw
min. 40: Korenica pulls from 28 meters but Lugano's goalkeeper rejects in the corner
min. 35: Nkololo entered the box, tried to focus, but was blocked. Corner for CFR Cluj
min. 27: Munteanu resumes with the head of the center of the box, but Lugano's goalkeeper retains. CFR Cluj's striker did not have the best resumption, and the Swiss goalkeeper had no problems
min. 18: For the moment, CFR Cluj has not created any important opportunity. Instead, he closes the spaces in front of Hindrich's gate very well, and Lugano does not pose problems
min. 10: Missing! Karlo Muhar executed and sent to the side bar! The goalkeeper left on the other corner but Muhar did not hit the portion space
min. 9: Louis Muntenau asks for a penalty, after he was holding him in the box. The referee dictated the fault.
min. 5: Lugano started with possession, the Swiss players pass very much, while CFR Cluj defends themselves compactly
min. 1: The match started!
Lugano – CFR Cluj, Start teams
Lugano: Saipi – Zanotti, Papadopoulos, May, El Waf – Grgic – Steffen, Bislimi, Dos Santos, Alioski – Koutsias
Reserves: Pseftis, Mina, Brault, Kelvin, Bottani, Doumbia, Cimignani, Mahmoud, Sbai, Maslarov, Behrens, Duville
Absent: Hajdari (suspended)
Coach: Mattia Croci-Titi
CFR Cluj: Hindrich – Bosec, „Sinyan, Ilie, Camora – Muhar, Djokovic, Fică – Nkololo, Munteanu, Korenica
Reserves: Gal, Micai, Abeid, Bolgado, Deac, Păun, Badamosi, Gjorgjievski, Mensah, Kun, Grigor, Dumbrăvanu
Absent: Kamara, Postolachi, Emerllahu, Rocha (injured)
Coach: Dan Petrescu
Stadium: Arena Thun (Thun)
Referee: Darren England // Assistants: Ian Hussin, Nick Greenhalgh
Var Referee: Peter Bankes // Assistant lime: Constantine Hatzidakis (all of England)
