Farul Constanța Stuns Universitatea Craiova With 4-1 Rout

On a freezing evening at the Black Sea coast, Farul Constanța delivered a performance for the ages, stunning Superliga leaders Universitatea Craiova with a resounding 4-1 victory in round 24 of Romania’s top flight. With temperatures dipping to a bone-chilling -12 degrees Celsius and a biting wind sweeping across the Gheorghe Hagi Academy stadium in Ovidiu, the hosts shrugged off the cold and produced some of their hottest football this season.

Farul entered the match sitting 10th in the standings with 31 points, a full seven points adrift of the coveted sixth place and a playoff berth. Universitatea Craiova, meanwhile, were riding high at the summit with 46 points, especially after title rivals Dinamo and Rapid had stumbled over the weekend. Many expected the leaders to capitalize and extend their advantage, but what unfolded was anything but routine.

Right from the opening whistle at 17:15, Farul looked the sharper, hungrier side. Just six minutes in, Ișfan pounced on a calamitous defensive blunder by Romanchuk. The Craiova defender inexplicably passed straight into the danger area, and Ișfan, formerly of Craiova himself, made no mistake in a one-on-one with Isenko, rolling the ball into the net to ignite the home crowd. According to multiple reports, "Ișfan profited from a mistake by Romanchuk and beat Isenko in a one-on-one situation."

Craiova tried to respond, pushing forward with intent and stringing together a series of promising attacks. The visitors dominated possession, registering 72% in the first half, and peppered Buzbuchi’s goal with shots. Their best early chance fell to Băsceanu, who narrowly missed the target, and Teles, whose thunderous effort smashed off the crossbar.

But Farul were clinical on the break. In the 25th minute, Ișfan turned provider, threading a perfect ball to Vînă. The midfielder, a product of the Hagi Academy, calmly slotted past Isenko with a precise finish to double the lead. As reported, "Vînă scored with a superb outside-foot shot after a poor pass from Cicâldău." The home side’s efficiency was remarkable: three shots on target, three goals by halftime.

Just six minutes later, the Ovidiu crowd was in disbelief. Grigoryan surged down the flank and delivered a pinpoint pass to young right-back David Maftei, who finished with aplomb into the far corner. It was a blitz of attacking football that left the league leaders reeling and the scoreboard showing 3-0 after just 31 minutes. Maftei’s goal was described as "an elegant finish past Isenko," his first in the Superliga.

Both teams rattled the woodwork before the break—Dican for Farul and Teles for Craiova—while Buzbuchi pulled off a string of crucial saves to preserve the hosts’ commanding advantage. The halftime whistle brought little relief for Craiova, whose defensive frailties had been ruthlessly exposed.

In the second half, Craiova’s coach Filipe Coelho made tactical adjustments, switching to a more attacking 3-4-3 formation and introducing Etim for Anzor. The visitors threw everything forward, desperate to claw their way back into the contest. Their pressure finally paid off in the 76th minute, when Etim found the net following a clever combination with Al-Hamlawi. The goal sparked brief hope for the visitors, who had dominated the shot count and looked for a dramatic late comeback.

But Farul, expertly marshaled by coach Ianis Zicu, held firm. The match took a dramatic turn in the 84th minute when Isenko, the Craiova goalkeeper, was shown a straight red card for a last-man foul on Tănasă. With all substitutions exhausted, midfielder Tudor Băluță donned the goalkeeper gloves in an emergency cameo between the posts.

The stage was set for a fairytale return. Just three minutes later, Alibec—recently back from a spell at FCSB and only just introduced as a substitute—stood over a free kick from 20 meters. He struck it sweetly, curling the ball beyond the hapless Băluță and into the net for Farul’s fourth goal. As noted, "Alibec scored from a free kick at minute 87 shortly after being substituted in." The stadium erupted, and the result was beyond doubt.

For Universitatea Craiova, this was a nightmare evening. Three goals conceded in the opening half-hour, a red card for their starting goalkeeper, and defensive errors that will haunt their title ambitions. The defeat stings even more given their rivals’ recent slip-ups, an opportunity missed to pull clear at the top. Still, they remain in first place with 46 points, but their aura of invincibility has taken a knock.

Farul’s victory, meanwhile, was a testament to resilience and tactical discipline. The hosts absorbed waves of Craiova pressure—at one point, the visitors led 12-0 in second-half shots—and struck with ruthless efficiency on the counter. Their defensive unit, anchored by Buzbuchi in goal and Maftei at the back, weathered the storm, while Ișfan and Vînă orchestrated attacks with intelligence and pace.

Coach Ianis Zicu praised his players’ mentality and execution on a night when everything seemed to click. "We showed today that we deserve to be higher in the standings," he emphasized after the match. The win lifts Farul to 34 points, still 10th but now just four points away from the playoff spots with plenty of football left to play.

The match also featured a moment of silence before kickoff in memory of PAOK fans lost in a recent tragedy, a somber note that underscored the unity and emotion in football, even on nights of fierce competition.

With just six rounds remaining in the regular season, the playoff chase is heating up. Farul’s emphatic win throws the battle for the top six wide open, while Universitatea Craiova faces questions about their defensive solidity and ability to rebound from adversity. The Superliga title race, far from settled, promises more twists and turns as the campaign enters its decisive phase.

As the final whistle echoed in the frigid Ovidiu air, Farul’s players celebrated a famous victory—one that will be remembered by their fans for years to come. For the leaders from Craiova, the journey continues, but the road just got a little bumpier.