Universitatea Craiova secured a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Petrolul Ploiești in the third round of the Liga I regular season on Saturday evening. The hosts dominated from the first whistle, with S. Nsimba opening the scoring inside a minute and adding another before the quarter-hour mark. By then, the pattern was clear — this would not be a contest for long.
Nsimba's brace came in quick succession, the first at the 1st minute and the second at 18, though he picked up a yellow card shortly after his double. The early pressure told, and Petrolul's defence struggled to find any rhythm against the relentless home attacks. To be fair, the visitors' structure was compromised from the outset, and they never quite recovered their shape.
The second half brought further resolution. S. Baiaram found the net at 48 minutes, and S. Elisor made it four at 65, each goal extending the margin with clinical efficiency. Several substitutions were made around the hour mark, including C. Huseynov and B. Malula, but the result was never in doubt. And here's the thing — the management changes did little to alter what had already been decided.
Statistically, the gulf between the sides was stark. Craiova enjoyed 62 per cent possession and registered 11 shots on target compared to Petrolul's two. The hosts created eight big chances while the visitors managed just one, a reflection of the one-sided nature of the encounter. Shots accuracy sat at 42 per cent for the home side versus 25 for the away team — not that those figures capture the full story.
What this result means for the table is worth noting. Petrolul remain third on 15 points from eight games, but the gap between them and the leaders may widen if results elsewhere do not go their way. Craiova, meanwhile, move to fourth on 14 points, a position that feels earned rather than accidental after a performance of this character.
