Article by Romeo Ene – Published on Tuesday, 10 February 2026, 22:30 / Updated on Tuesday, 10 February 2026 22:30
CFR Cluj – Rapid 1-1. Cristi Săpunaru (41 years old), the former central defender of Giulești, offered the first reaction after the elimination of his former club from the Romanian Betano Cup.
He claims that the team coached by Costel Gâlcă (53 years old) could win the trophy this season, and Rapid was in his view “scary” until the goal scored by Korenica, in the 66th minute, after he converted a shot from 11 meters.
Cristi Săpunaru, after Rapid was eliminated from the Romanian Betano Cup: “You can't take risks from the beginning of the match”
Rapid it didn't count until the goal, and later forced the tie. Too little, believes Săpunaru, who noticed the debutant Talisson and Olimpiu Moruțan from the Giulești camp.
“It's a pity, because I thought that this year we really had a good team and they could win the Cup. Fast, until the goal, she was timid, after the goal she started to play, she was aggressive and tried to win the match, but too little time.
You can't risk from the beginning of the match, it can also be scored in the 85-90 minutes. If they played like this the whole match, maybe they would win. After 0-1 they had nothing left to lose.
I liked Talisson how he came in, the game changed, I also liked Moruțan. Rapid started playing after the goal“, explained Săpunaru, at “Footbal Club”, from Digi Sport.
They were in their hands. I think that in the second half Rapid was the better team. This mistake of Hromada came.
It's a clear penalty, but big mistake, you were going 0-0 until the end. Rapid played in the last quarter of an hour, after the entrances of Moruțan and Talisson.
– Florin Pruneapresent in the studio
PHOTO GALLERY. The most spectacular images from CFR Cluj – Rapid
Ranking in group A of the Romanian Betano Cup
