Universitatea Craiova v Uta Arad

Universitatea Craiova opened their Liga I campaign with a decisive 4-0 victory over Uta Arad at the Stadionul Ion Oblemenco, a scoreline that the underlying numbers suggest was more emphatic than the run of play might have indicated. Craiova dominated possession with 66% and recorded 13 total shots to Uta Arad's eight, but their expected goals figure of just 0.81 highlights how clinical they were in front of goal. The Lemeister model had given the hosts a 38% chance of winning, with the draw and away win both rated at 32% and 31% respectively, making this a comfortable outcome for the pre-match favourites.

The deadlock was not broken until the 62nd minute, when Teles scored from open play with an assist from Ștefan Baiaram. That goal came against a backdrop of solid but unspectacular attacking play from Craiova, who had managed four shots on target across the match compared to Uta Arad's two. The visitors' defence had been largely organised until that point, but once the first goal arrived, the game opened up decisively in the closing stages. A flurry of three goals in the final four minutes turned a narrow win into a resounding rout.

In the 87th minute, Ștefan Baiaram turned goalscorer, finishing from a Carlos Mora assist. Two minutes later, S. Elisor added a third, again with Mora providing the final pass. The scoring was completed in the 90th minute when D. Alomerovic put through his own goal, compounding Uta Arad's misery. The timing of the goals , all after the 85th minute , suggests Uta Arad's resolve finally cracked under sustained pressure, even if the overall expected goals gap was narrow.

Craiova's control of the match was rooted in their superior passing. They completed 522 of 595 passes at an 88% accuracy rate, while Uta Arad managed only 238 of 313 at 76%. The hosts also won the corner count 4-2 and committed fewer fouls, seven to the visitors' 11. However, the discipline statistics were interesting: Craiova collected three yellow cards, to Uta Arad's one, with Monday Etim, Anzor Mekvabishvili and Samuel Teles all booked, though the latter's yellow came after his goal. Dmytro Pospelov was cautioned for the away side.

The individual ratings reflected the goalscorers' impact. Ștefan Baiaram received the highest mark at 8.5, combining his goal with the assist for Teles. Samuel Teles scored and was rated 8.2, while Carlos Mora, with two assists, earned an 8.0. Alexandru Crețu and Vladimir Screciu both posted 7.9 ratings, underlining their influence in midfield, and goalkeeper Răzvan Sava was a solid 7.5. The attacking trio of Baiaram, Teles and Mora was the clear difference, turning a modest expected goals total into four actual goals.

For Universitatea Craiova, this is a dream start to the Regular Season, putting them top of the early table with maximum points and a healthy goal difference. Uta Arad will have to regroup quickly, knowing that their defensive organisation was good for an hour but fell apart in a catastrophic final five minutes. While the overall quality of chances was close, the finishing and the set-up play of Craiova's key individuals proved decisive in a match that, for long periods, had looked far from over.