Romania round-up: Rapid recover to stay top

FC Rapid Bucuresti strengthened their Divizia A championship credentials with a 2-1 away win against FC Ceahlaul Piatra Neamt on Saturday.

Rapid recovery
The Romanian first division leaders had to recover from going a goal behind after Costel Ilie's seventh-minute opener for Ceahlaul, but two goals in six second-half minutes turned the game in Rapid's favour. Two minutes after coming on as a 65th-minute substitute, Daniel Niculae levelled the scores and Florin Bratu secured all three points with his 73rd-minute winner.

Dinamo climbing
Reigning champions FC Dinamo Bucuresti now sit second in the table, seven points behind Rapid, after their fourth successive victory, a 3-1 triumph against CF Sportul Studentesc. Laurentiu Dinita gave Sportul an early lead but goals from Stefan Grigorie, Ionel Danciulescu and Cosmin Barcauan handed the points to Dinamo, who had defender Ovidiu Burca sent off 16 minutes from time.

Caramarin on target
FC National Bucuresti remain level on points with Dinamo after beating city rivals FC Steaua Bucuresti 2-0, first-half goals from Gabriel Caramarin and Sergiu Radu doing the damage.

Dica double
In the day's other games, FC Gloria Bistrita 1922 were sunk by a Nicolae Dica double for FC Arges Pitesti, who had Cristi Vlad dismissed ten minutes into the second half but clung on for the points with ten men. Goals from Corneliu Papura and Ionut Lutu gave FC Universitatea Craiova a 2-0 victory against CS Otelul Galati and FC Politehnica AEK Timisoara saw off FC Brasov 2-1 thanks to strikes from Mihai Nicolae and Mircea Oprea either side of half-time. Mugurel Buga's penalty on the hour proved to be nothing more than a consolation for Brasov.

Ciocoiu does enough
Elsewhere, a Cristian Ciocoiu penalty after 15 minutes was enough for FCM Bacau to beat FC UTA Arad and Astra Ploiesti edged out FC Farul Constanta by the odd goal in three thanks to strikes from Daniel Costescu and Daniel Movila, which cancelled out Ion Barbu's opener.