Gloria Bistriţa edge past Ştefăneşti in Liga II
Gloria Bistriţa beat Ştefăneşti 2:1 in Liga II on Saturday, a result that keeps them fifth while the hosts remain rooted at the bottom. The visitors took control after an early setback, then never got going once they found their rhythm. To be fair, Ştefăneşti started brighter, but the second half told a different story.
D. Patru gave the home side the lead in the ninth minute, a moment that felt like a statement of intent. Gloria responded through M. Lehaire in the thirtieth, then M. Lupu doubled the advantage four minutes later. By then Ştefăneşti were chasing the game, and the momentum had shifted for good.
There were no dramatic scenes, just three yellow cards and one substitution. S. Pirvulescu booked in the fiftieth, K. Dobozi came on as a fresh leg, and A. Gheorghe and D. Ripeanu went off the pitch with cards. Nothing more, nothing less.
Ştefăneşti had more possession at 51 per cent, but possession meant little when shots on target came in the ratio of two to eight. The hosts managed 84 attacks against 90 for the visitors, yet the final tally reflected who got it right. And here's the thing: four shots off target for Ştefăneşti compared to seven for Gloria says everything about who wasted opportunities.
Gloria sit fifth with twelve points from six games, four wins and two losses. Ştefăneşti have just six points, two victories and four defeats, and the gap between them is widening. After losing 4:0 to Bior Orădia last week, the hosts needed this win badly, but there is no point pretending anything changed.