Bău saw off Popeshti-Leroden 3-0 in the Romanian Cup final on Tuesday, securing the trophy with a performance that combined efficiency with composure. The visitors took control early and never looked back, despite the hosts maintaining more than half the possession throughout. Three goals from four different scorers told the story of a match decided in moments rather than sustained pressure.
And here's the thing — the opening goal arrived when most would expect a final to tighten. P. Mitrica found the net in the eleventh minute, catching Popeshti-Leroden before they could settle into their rhythm. By then, the visitors had already identified the space behind their opponents' full-backs, a weakness visible in their last meeting where Popeshti-Leroden edged through 3-2. That victory should have given the hosts confidence, but confidence proved fragile when the pressure materialised.
The second half brought the decisive blows. C. Oasenegre struck in the sixty-fifth minute, and the same player completed his brace nine minutes later. Between those goals came another, unnamed in the match report, that effectively killed any remaining hope of a comeback. To be fair, Popeshti-Leroden pressed hard, but their attacks lacked direction. They registered 111 attacks compared to Bău's 87, yet only managed one shot on target all evening.
The statistics reveal the disconnect. Popeshti-Leroden dominated possession at 58 per cent and won 21 free kicks against eight, but possession without penetration is just circulation. Bău's five shots on target versus one on target for the hosts explains the scoreline with brutal clarity. They were second to everything in the build-up, but first to the decisive moment when it mattered.
The result ends a brief run for Popeshti-Leroden. They had beaten Dinamo Bucharest 5-0 and drawn with Dumbravita before this final, but the clean-sheet run came to an end in the most public way possible. Bău, meanwhile, extend their recent form with another clean sheet. They beat Steaua 3-0 on Saturday and Viitorul Kuchi 3-0 two days before that, and now hold the Romanian Cup in their hands.