Woodwork hits, clear-cut chances, dangerous headers, fine long-range shots – everything was there in our women’s Superliga match on Sunday except the most important thing: the goal. The visitors practically failed to create any real scoring opportunity, while Szeitl Szilvia’s team was almost constantly on the attack, but we lacked sharpness in front of goal, as well as that little bit of luck needed to decide the match in our favor.

At the start of the game, after a Cluj counterattack, Antal Anita cleared for a corner, but from then on FK gradually took control. In the 27th minute, Fülöp Boglárka’s cross from the left found Vlădulescu, who mishit her shot, the ball fell to Herczeg, but she fired over from 16 meters. Shortly after, Vlădulescu played a through ball to Nombot, who narrowly missed the chance to chip the goalkeeper. Before halftime, Herczeg set up Vlădulescu, who had three attempts in quick succession, but all were blocked.

At the beginning of the second half, we tried to find the opener with long-range efforts: Herczeg and Porter both hit the target, but lacked power. In the 63rd minute, Nombot shot over from 16 meters, and a minute later Porter created space for herself and blasted the ball onto the crossbar with her left foot. In the 68th minute, Porter threatened again with a header, but the ball went wide.

FK chances kept coming in the closing stages. In the 73rd minute, Nombot laid the ball off well for Zvenyák, whose shot was deflected for a corner. Two minutes later, Orbán Aranka found herself in a clear shooting position but missed narrowly from 16 meters, and in the 76th minute Vlădulescu’s cross turned into a shot and hit the crossbar. In the final minutes we pushed almost constantly, but the winning goal would not come.

“We’ve been struggling with this all season: we make poor decisions in finishing and we lack that tiny moment to push the ball over the line. We practice this a lot in training, it works there, but in matches we rush. There’s also a pressure on the team that we’re not scoring, I’m trying to relieve that because it doesn’t work if we’re tense. We’ll only return to our winning form once that small goal finally goes in. And it will come, but the pressure is high and we need someone to provide that extra edge. This match is over, we didn’t lose, which is important, we gained a point and kept Timișoara at a distance, and we still have a chance for second place, but from now on we focus on Wednesday’s cup match, where we must force that goal in at all costs, because we want to reach the final,” said head coach Szeitl Szilvia after the match.

Women’s Superliga, play-off, Round 10
FK Csíkszereda – U Olimpia Cluj 0–0

Referees: Breoi Nicolae, Dumitrache Ștefan, Petre-Ioan Doru Nicolae.
Yellow cards: Kis Anita (80), respectively Bumbar Sonia Maria (31).

FK Csíkszereda: Böröcz Bettina – Szabóvá Sofia, Rosenblatt Hana My, Vlădulescu Ana Maria, Antal Anita (Orbán Aranka, 54), Porter Lindsey Leigh, Geréd Erika (Balázs Csilla, 40), Nombot Annabelle Natsi, Fülöp Boglárka (Zvenyák Johanna Rita, 46), Kis Anita, Herczeg Andrea (Shala Jehona, 54).
Head coach: Szeitl Szilvia.

U Olimpia Cluj: Todd Elizabeth Ann – Van Dolder Erin Marieka, Micușan Meda Cristina, Bumbar Sonia Maria, Borodi Adina Cristina (Bujoreanu Andra Raisa, 90+2), Pînzariu Teodora Andreea, Niculescu Alexia (Maier Tanya Raysa, 60), Sigheartău Ioana Simona (Neagu Andreea Rebeca, 64), Gorgan Ana Maria, Pera Shaira Alessandria, Oneț Daiana Maria (Ciortea Mara Nicole, 64).
Head coach: Vela Ioana Alexandra.