Metalul win late as Afumeni lead is overturned
Metalul Bucharest came from behind to beat ACS Afumeni 3-1 in Liga II on Saturday, a result that shifts the momentum for the home side after a patchy start to the season. The visitors had taken the lead just before half-time, but everything changed when D. Dumitrescu turned the ball into his own net early in the second period. And here's the thing — Metalul never looked like going down after that.
Afumeni could have doubled their advantage before the break when M. Diomande found space in the box at 45+2 minutes, firing past the keeper to give his side a deserved lead. There were three yellow cards before the interval, two for Metalul and one for the visitors, a sign that the match was already becoming physical. To be fair, Afumeni's attack had been sharper in the opening exchanges, pressing higher and winning more possession in the final third.
The turning point arrived at 56 minutes when D. Dumitrescu's error gifted Metalul a second chance, and this time they took it. The home side levelled the score and suddenly the game was open again, with Afumeni having to respond rather than dictate. By then the visitors had already seen their early dominance slip away, replaced by a more cautious approach as they searched for another breakthrough.
Metalul then took control of the final twenty minutes, with V. Robu putting them ahead at 70 minutes before C. Bortoneanu added a third at the hour-and-ten mark. Both goals came from well-worked moves, the home side showing patience in build-up play rather than relying on long balls. The visitors struggled to find their rhythm after going behind, and the yellow card at 79 minutes capped a frustrating afternoon for the away team.
The statistics tell a different story from the scoreline, with Afumeni recording more attacks and corners despite losing. They managed 126 attacks to Metalul's 107, and won seven corners against four, yet only converted one shot on target from four attempts. Metalul were more clinical with three shots on target and two goals, while the visitors went three shots wide without finding the net.
The result keeps Metalul in 12th place on eight points from six games, while Afumeni remain eighth with ten points. It is a narrow margin between the two sides, and this match showed how quickly things can change when one moment decides the outcome. The home side now have something to build on, while the visitors will be looking for answers before their next fixture.