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Milestone match for Molde and Steaua

Molde FK reach a half-century of games in UEFA competition when they play FC Steaua Bucureşti, for whom the contest is their 100th in the UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League.

Steaua's Raul Rusescu (second left) takes the plaudits after scoring on matchday three
Steaua's Raul Rusescu (second left) takes the plaudits after scoring on matchday three ©AFP/Getty Images

Molde FK will hope to make their 50th game in UEFA competition one to remember when they host Group E leaders FC Steaua Bucureşti, for whom this fixture brings up a century in the UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League.

• Vlad Chiricheş and Raul Rusescu scored as Steaua stretched their advantage at the top of the section to three points by defeating Molde 2-0 on matchday three. Ole Söderberg denied Steaua a third after the break when he saved Cristian Tănase's penalty.

• The Romanian team will seal early qualification for the round of 32 if they win and VfB Stuttgart fail to defeat FC København.

Previous meetings
• The sides had never met before matchday three, which marked Molde's first encounter with Romanian opposition.

• Steaua's record in five games against Norwegian clubs reads W3 D1 L1 (W2 D1 L0 at home – W1 D0 L1 in Norway).

• This will be the 11th fixture to be played between Romanian and Norwegian teams in UEFA competition, with the previous ten producing four Romanian victories, three Norwegian wins and three draws.

Match background
• Molde have been alternating between losses and victories in their last four continental fixtures. If that sequence holds true, they are due a win on matchday four.

• Steaua are unbeaten in six European games (W5 D1) since starting their campaign with a 1-0 home loss to FC Spartak Trnava in the third qualifying round. They have only conceded two goals since, both of which came in the 2-2 draw with VfB Stuttgart on matchday one.

Team facts
• This will be Steaua's 100th game in the UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League – the previous 99 ended W39 D29 L31.

• This will be Molde's 50th outing in UEFA competition – the previous 49 ended W13 D13 L23.

• Steaua midfielder Mihai Doru Pintilii turns 28 the day after the game.

• A right-sided midfielder, Laurenţiu Reghecampf was capped once by Romania and played for Steaua from 1996-2000, before finishing his career in Germany with FC Energie Cottbus, Alemannia Aachen and 1. FC Kaiserslautern. Since taking up coaching in 2009, he has had eight jobs – he has been in charge of FC Snagov three times, FC Universitatea Craiova twice and CF Gloria 1922 Bistriţa and FC Concordia Chiajna once each, taking command at Steaua in the summer of 2012.

• Solskjær left home-town club Clausenengen FK for Molde in 1994 and played for them in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup before embarking on a glittering career as a forward at Manchester United FC, where he won six English titles, two FA Cups and scored the winner in the 1999 UEFA Champions League final. Having taken charge of the Old Trafford club's reserves after hanging up his boots, he returned to Molde to become coach, leading them to a first Norwegian title in his debut season, 2011.

• Solskjær played against Romania three times. He came on as a substitute in a 0-0 friendly draw in 1998, then – in UEFA EURO 2004 qualifying – appeared in a 1-0 win at the Steaua Stadium and scored as Norway drew the return fixture 1-1.