Article by Daniel Grigore – Published Sunday, May 17, 2026, 9:32 p.m. / Updated Sunday, May 17, 2026, 9:40 p.m.
In the 42nd minute of University of Craiova – U Cluj2-0 at half-time, the visitors were reduced to 10 men, with Oucasse Mendy (24) sent off after picking up two yellow cards in the space of just 15 minutes.
Universitatea Craiova – U Cluj, a match in which the guests were forced not to lose in order to prolong the fight for the title, started as it couldn't have been worse for Cristiano Bergodi and his students.
In the first 8 minutes, Olten scored twice, through David Matei (minute 3) and Assad Al Hamlawi ('8). It was already a gloomy picture for the people of Transylvania, but it acquired dramatic accents before entering the cabins.
In the 42nd minute, winger Oucasse Mendy saw his second yellow card and went to the locker room. A hard tackle on Carlos Mora proved fatal for the Frenchman, wiping out the opponent with his left foot on his knee. Mora never came back from the locker room.
The foul for which Mendy received his second “yellow”
Below, video with the phase.
- video source: Prima Sport 1
Oucasse Mendy, eliminated in the University of Craiova – U Cluj
“Central” Marcel Bîrsan did not initially sanction Mendy for that entry, but after consulting with the assistant on that side, Valentin Avram, he took the yellow card out of his pocket. It was the second!
49 secondsthey passed from the moment when Bîrsan whistled for a foul, until he showed the yellow card to Mendy
Visibly irritated, the Frenchman took the ball and kicked it towards the stands. On the way to the locker room, he hit another ball sitting on the edge of the field.
Mendy was obviously nervous because of the ease with which he had received his first booking. In the 27th minute, he pushed the same Mora from behind, without contesting the ball, and Bîrsan took the card out of his pocket.
The foul for which Mendy received his first card
