Steely Steaua on course

By Paul-Daniel Zaharia

FC Steaua Bucuresti are racing towards their 22nd Romanian championship thanks in part to a fine spell of five games undefeated inside 14 days.

'Italian Steaua'
Walter Zenga's side faced a tough batch of fixtures after their UEFA Cup exploits forced a number of rearrangements - but the team being dubbed the 'Italian Steaua' in the Romanian press are showing defensive steel reminiscent of the Azzurri in Zenga's playing days. They conceded just one goal in the five matches, which included a 1-0 win against nearest challengers FC Dinamo Bucuresti and a 0-0 draw against third-placed AFC Rapid Bucuresti.

Mean defence
Two-thirds of the way through the 30-game campaign, Steaua - with 36-year-old Dorinel Munteanu irrepressible in midfield - are five points clear at the Premier League summit. No team have scored more than Zenga's side, and no defence has been meaner. But title-holders Dinamo have not given up, brushing aside CFR Cluj 4-0 to remain at the front of the chasing pack.

Four-strike haul
All the goals in that match came from Claudiu Niculescu, the 28-year-old striker now heading the scorers' chart with 15. His four-timer was the first of its kind in the top flight this season but he said: "I would sooner have scored only one goal in this game and have converted the other chances into a goal against Steaua."

Semi controversy
Besides the narrow defeat by the leaders, Dinamo won each of their league matches without conceding to stay in touch at the top - but there was controversy as they reached their sixth successive Romanian Cup final with a 5-2 aggregate victory against FC National Bucuresti.

Two dismissals
After losing the semi-final first leg 2-1, Dinamo strolled to a 4-0 second-leg triumph after referee Ionica Serea sent off two National players and awarded two penalties, but the Romanian Football Federation turned down National's request for a replay, meaning Dinamo will play FC Farul Constanta in the 11 May final.

Five defeats
At the wrong end of the table, four-times Romanian champions FC Universitatea Craiova are in danger of losing their élite status for the first time in 42 years. Following the withdrawal of regular funding from retiring investor Dinel Staicu, the team look destined to be owned by the local council. Five straight defeats have left them in serious trouble in last position.