Article by Romeo Ene – published Tuesday, July 29, 2025, 00:10 / Updated Tuesday, July 29, 2025 00:10
Craiova University – U Cluj 2-1. Alexandru Chipciu (36 years old), the guest footballer, offered the first reaction after this evening's failure. The “students” led until the 87th minute, but they lost.
Chipciu He described the failure in one word: “frustrating”, then confessed that he was unhappy that his team had withdrawn after opening the scoring. The Oltenians forced and “hit” twice at the end, through Assad Al Hamlawi (87, 90+1).
Alex Chipciu, statements after Craiova – U Cluj 2-1: “Football punishes you”
“This is the word, frustrating,” frustrating “. It's frustrating to lose in the last few minutes, but this is football. We don't have to take them from merits because they beat us.
We were unconsciously thankful. We were blocking them well, they were not very dangerous, they could not find solutions. After the 70th minute we started to withdraw as much as possible, the fear of playing, passing, personality, and football sometimes punishes you for these moments.
He punished us. If we have any more situations, we have to play, because I do not like when you give a goal and you want to keep the result. The more time it goes, it will be harder, and it happened at the end.
We are mature, it was not a problem of maturity. It is clear that Craiova forced the end, they put strong players. We also have bad luck with the central defenders, two were injured. I suffered at the end. It's frustrating, but we go further.
If at the beginning of the season there is fatigue, we have to let ourselves be football. We always find everything, because we have no freshness. At the end of the season we are tired again. That's the level. You have to play every three days, that's the level.
It will be even harder, but that's what I said in the locker room. If we have personality and confidence, we have to get up on Thursday and to qualify and move on.
I think in Armenia, with Ararat, I controlled the game. It will be very difficult to remove them from the Europa League. When I shook hands with them at the beginning of the match, I realized it would be a strong match. We have to be strong to qualify further.
It will be the full stadium and we have to make this gift: let's go on, ”explained Chipciu, at the first sport.
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