After 53 years »Alexandru Chipciu equalized a half -century old record + an absolute premiere overlooked
Article by Remus Dinu – published Tuesday, October 14, 2025, 12:43 / Updated Tuesday, October 14, 2025 12:48
Used all the match in Romania's victory with Austria, score 1-0, Alexandru Chipciu He became the first player of the University of Cluj integralist in the shirt of the first representative after 53 years! The last footballer of the “red hats” who had ticked this performance was Dan Anca, the legend of “U”, in 1972.
The 36-year-old “veteran” took the face of Raul Opruț and Kevin Ciubotaru and was titled by Lucescu on the left flank of the defense, in the match of maximum importance with Austria, from the CM 2026 preliminaries.
More a “lot” solution to the last actions, Chipciu took advantage of the suspension of Nicușor Bancu, returning to the forefront for “tricolors” at 14 years after the debut ticked in San Marino, in 2011. Basically, in another “era”!
“It's a dream. I don't know if I lived in my life, in the national team, maybe in a match with Hungary, when I equalized. (…) On this stadium, with these people, to give in the last minute, and against a big team … I was thinking now: what's this life … It's crazy! This life is something you can't explain, you go through unreal moments”, Chipciu reacted after the appearance with the number 49 in the first representative.
Alex Chipciu was integralist with Austria, photo: Ionuț Iordache (gsp.ro)
Chipciu, in the footsteps of Dan Anca
According to the journalist from Cluj Dan Bodea, Dan Anca had been the last footballer from “U” integralist in a national match.
The former midfielder from the romantic period of the “students”, who evolved on the banks of Someș between 1964 and 1980, evolved for 90 minutes, on October 29, 1972, in the success of the national with Albania, 2-0, from the preliminaries of CM 1974, a match in which he played, among others, along with the current selector Mircea Lucescu.
Premiere à in Cluj
The mentioned journalist also emphasizes that another premiere took place on Sunday. It was for the first time in history when footballers from “U” and CFR Cluj have evolved at the same time for the national. Louis Munteanu, the star of “railways”, was used by Mircea Lucescu in the last minutes of the match.
In total, 28 footballers from U Cluj and 23 in the CFR camp have evolved over time in the first representative's shirt, notes Bodea.
318 partiesAnd 25 goals has Dan Anca in the first league of Romania has 109 matches and 15 succeeded in “B”
Chipciu made an extraordinary game. He gave no chance to the opponent. Mr. Lucescu knows how to play in such a match, and Chipciu was exactly what he should – disciplined, careful, without unnecessary risks. He represented the university very well.
It's a model for players of his age, by the way he is preparing. You see experience and seriousness. It was high pressure on him, but he knew what to do, we have been working together for three years and he did excellent.
– Neluțu Sabău about Chipciu, according to Digisport.ro.
