Article by Eduard Apostol, Maria Olteanu – Published Saturday, December 20, 2025, 6:58 p.m. / Updated Saturday, December 20, 2025, 6:59 p.m.
Galati Steel – FC Argesa game with implications in the fight for the play-off, ended with the success of the hosts, score 2-1, which secures its place in the top 6, getting closer to Saturday's rival by only one point.
The ranking NOW in the Superliga
Chronicle by Eduard Apostol. Boom boom! Steel raises the stakes
Oțelul – FC Argeș (2-1), an extremely important victory for the Galatians, which further enlivens the fight for the play-offs. The Danubians secure their position in the top 6! U Cluj, UTA, FCSB, Farul and CFR Cluj have reason to suffer after this result.
Yes, Oțelul Galati has officially submitted its application for the play-off! Right, the good form of the Danubians has been going on for a long time, and some of the results of the season are remarkable.
Oțelul defeated Dinamo at home, beat CFR Cluj and Universitatea Craiova, collected 4 points with Rapid, with the victory in the previous stage in Giulesti. Steel with Laszlo Balint is a formidable team in the Superliga! He also proved it in the last duel of 2025, one in the fog, but not in the fog for the Galatians.
The biggest danger for the Steel is not any particular opponent this winter. But the fight with the offers that come in a cascade for the players who impress the team from Danube!
Offensive football
The hosts had great opportunities from the first half with FC Argeș, another solid team in the championship. It is not for nothing that they are neighbors in the standings, separated, as of now, by only one point.
Andrezinho (23) pivoted in the box and came very close to beating Lazar. Joao Paolo (32) also tried the booties from Pitesti. Nuno Pedro (44) combined well with Lameira and resumed strongly, but was blocked in extremis.
A psychological moment was at the start of the second part. Probably, that “moment” of a match. Yannis Pârvu (50) hit the crossbar from the center of the box. Dur-Bozoancă and Oțelul had seen nothing in the fog on the banks of the Danube.
Five decisive minutes for the Steel. Pitesti spiced up the ending
The hosts understood the warning. And they reacted. Nuno Pedro (55) resumed unstoppable, after a superb phase. Two players from Galati tried to resume from the “scissors” until the moment of the decisive shot!
Taking advantage of the good moment, Steel pressed the accelerator. And he scored one more time. Paulinho (60) executed those from FC Argeș with a dry shot from the center of the box, after the phase was also created on the left by Holz.
The ending was incandescent. Sadriu (87) brought hope back to the Argeș camp, after a prolonged phase in the opposing box. It's just that the people of Pitesti couldn't do it anymore. The Steel closed in on the attack – 3 great chances! -, in which Balint's players were more than wasteful.
They were lucky that Bogdan Andone's students could not retaliate, but they played with fire.
FINAL » Oțelul – FC Arges 2-1
Oțelul Galati – FC Argeș, starting teams:
Galati Steel: Dur-Bozoancă – Zhelev, Zivulic, Iacob, Conrado – Lameira, Joao Paulo – Bordun, Pedro, Andrezinho – Paulinho
Reserves: Popescu, Chira, Frunză, Neicu, Patrick, Postelnicu, Sandru, Ursu
Coach: Laszlo Balint
FC Arges: Lazar – Oancea, Tudose, Sadriu, Borţa – Sierra, Seto, Blagaic – Moldoveanu, Matos, Bettaieb
reserves: Straton, Briceag, Brobbey, Garutti, Manole, Moldovan, Pîrvu, Popescu, Rădescu, Tchasem, Tofan
Absent: Raça (suspended), Orozco (left for the Africa Cup of Nations)
Coach: Bogdan Andone
Stadium: “Steel”, Galati
Referee: Horațiu Feșnic (Cluj-Napoca – Cluj) / A1: Valentin Avram (Bucharest) / A2: Alexandru Cerei (Cluj-Napoca- Cluj) / VAR Referee: Iulian Dima (Bucharest) / AVAR Referee: Andrei Antonie (Bucharest) / R1: Ionela Alina Peșu (Mangalia – Constanta) / Referees Observer: Nicolae Marodin (Bucharest)
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