LIVE FC Argeș – FC Botoșani, in the 20th stage of the Superliga. STANDINGS

FC Arges – FC Botoșani 0-0

• Min. 79: It is played on the counter in the end of the match from Mioveni. No notable chances in the final minutes. Meanwhile, Andone is forced to remove Tofan, who complains of physical discomfort.
• Min.62: Huge chance missed by Mailat! Botosani launched a lightning counterattack, but Tofan rejected, with a last effort, the ball pushed by Mailat past Lazar.
• Min.59: Curious trajectory of Bettaieb's shot, but Anestis saves without emotion.
• Min.49: Anestis hesitates at Vadim Rață's surprising restart, and Argesul wastes another major opportunity! The Moldovan's header falls close to the goal line and “dribbles” agonizingly past.
• Min.46: The second half begins with a change in Bogdan Andone's score. Robert Moldoveanu leaves, Yanis Pîrvu enters.

• Break at Mioveni! FC Argeș – Botoșani 0-0, after 45 minutes in which Leo Grozavu's redoubt was besieged from all directions. We'll be back in a quarter of an hour!
• Min.43: Close to opening the score again! Bettaieb heads in from the small box, Anestis deflects onto the bar, then straightens up and catches the ball! The guests escape like through the eye of a needle.
• Min. 33: Another notable opportunity missed by FC Argeș. Croatian Blagaic's deflected shot hits the crossbar.
• Min.13: What an opportunity the people of Pitesti are missing! Served wonderfully by Briceag, Ricardo Matos, the goal scorer of Argeș, finished with his head over the goal from a few meters. A rare chance wasted by the white-violets!

FC Argeș – FC Botoșani / Photo source: sportpictures.eu

• Caio Martins, the star of the hosts, is not even on the bench. He had started the previous two matches from the bench. Last Saturday, at Miercura Ciuc, Caio missed a penalty.
• In the state minutes of the game, FC Argeș paid tribute to the late Doru Toma, former champion with the group from Trivale. “Tomiță”, as he was known to those close to him, passed away suddenly on November 21, at the age of 68.
• The starting kick of the game was given by “Bazela” Cristian Bratu, the former Argeș midfielder from the early 2000s.
• Charitable donations. The host club announced that spectators present at the stadium are invited to donate clothes, toys, non-perishable food, sweets or money for children in need. The objects collected will be donated to children with a precarious material situation, while the amount collected will go to a purple-white supporter diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

Pitesti approach the match without two important pieces. visitors Florin Borța and Dorinel Oancea, regular starters in Bogdan Andone's team, will be absent due to the accumulation of cards. Costinel Tofan, the captain from the year of relegation, returned to the first “11”.

The newly promoted FC Argeș and Leo Grozavu's Botoșani, the second place in the Superliga and a “thorn” for any ambitious team in Romania, are trying to extend their journey beyond expectations this season.

The real-time situation in the Superliga

FC Argeș – FC Botoșani, starting teams

Arges (4-2-3-1): D. Lazăr – Tofan, M. Tudose, Sadriu, M. Briceag – V. Rață, Sierra – R. Moldoveanu, Blagaic, Bettaieb – R. Matos
Reserves: Straton, L. Crăciun, Orozco, Garutti, Seto, L. Radescu, Tchassem, Y. Pîrvu, A. Manole, I. Moldovan
Coach: Bogdan Andone
Absent: Borța, Oancea (suspended)

Botosani (4-2-3-1): Anestis – F. Adams, Miron, Șigănașu, B. Creț – Bordeianu, Petro – Mitrov, Ongenda, Mailat – Dumiter
Reserves: Kukic, Munoz Fernandez, Suta, E. David, Diaw, Papa, Aldairm Ciurel, Cîmpanu, Bodisteanu, E. Lopez
Coach: Awesome Leo

Stadium: Townspeople, Mioveni
Referee: Florin Andrei (Târgu Mureș – Mureș) / A1: Laszlo-Imre Bucsi (Sfântu Gheorghe – Covasna) / A2: Mihăiță Necula (Bucharest) / VAR referee: Sebastian Colțescu (Bucharest) / Referee AVAR: Cristina Mariana Trandafir (Bucharest) / R1: Răzvan Negara (Vaslui) / Observer referees: Adrian Vidan (Bucharest)

Bogdan Andone is on guard: “We know Leo's style, Botoșani has quality”

I am glad that we are appreciated, but I also know that we will have a difficult game. Botoșani, with Grozavu, has intensity, puts pressure. I saw the game with Rapid, they suffered a lot, even if they had the big chances. Let's see how we get to match time mentally and physically, because we are the teams with the most intensity in the championship. Not quality, but we have high intensity.

We know Leo's style, it's a running team, he always demands pressure, intensity; we have a similar profile. They have execution quality: Mailat, Mitrov, Enzo Lopes, when they play, Bodișteanu, execution players. They have a fantastic goalkeeper who has brought them good points this season, Miron provides balance.

– Bogdan Andone, FC Argeș coach, at Digi Sport

Leo Grozavu speaks highly of FC Argeș: “A serious team that surprised everyone”

We meet a team that surprised everyone – and me personally – just by being newly promoted. It represents, however, a traditional club, it's a city that lives for football, a fairly well organized club. I don't know what's going on internally, but with the transfers they've made and are still making, it shows they have a serious management team. They are led by Dani Coman, who needs no introduction.

The technical staff was here. Everyone knows Bogdan Andone (…) they have at their disposal a group of very good, quality players and they have proven that they are a tough team for any opponent.

– Leo Grozavu, FC Botoșani coach, according to stiri.botosani.ro