Article by Alexandru Stanciu – Published Thursday, 23 April 2026 23:59 / Updated Friday, 24 April 2026 00:10
Filipe Coelho (45 years old), University coach Craiovaconsider that his team's victory in the semi-final of the Romanian Betano Cup5-2 after penalty kicks with Dinamoit was deserved, despite the fact that Olten pushed the match to the “penalty lottery” only in the 118th minute.
At the end of the match, the Portuguese technician offered rare moments for Romanian football: Coelho went to the entrance from the tunnel leading to the changing rooms, waited for the Dinamo players and greeted and hugged each one of them, to console them.
Filipe Coelho: “We deserved qualification, with all due respect to Dinamo”
“Dinamo is a very good team, but we are also a very good team. The referee managed the game very well. It was a nice atmosphere. We tried to impose ourselves from the first moment. We had a few chances, clearer than them, but we lost our concentration in the important moments of the game. We conceded a goal from set time, we have to be more careful in these moments. In the end, I think we deserved the qualification, with all due respect to Dinamo.
Popescu did his job very well, it's a very good moment for him and for us. He deserves this moment, as does the whole team. The players who executed were very focused.
To be honest, I'm really worried about the schedule. I had a match 4 days ago, now I played 120 minutes. But we're going home happy, we'll see which players we can count on in good conditions for the next match”, said Filipe Coelho, on Digi Sport's “Footbal Club”.
I came here to work, I came to do my job, I analyzed the team, I saw the quality. I trusted the players, I told them I'm here because of them, I trust them. I think we are doing well, but the line between success and failure is very thin
– Filipe CoelhoCSU Craiova coach
