16 April 2007, by Sean Gillen

CFR Cluj: Unsung Portuguese footballers taking Romania by storm

CFR Cluj 5-0 UT Arad

The decision by Romanian club CFR Cluj to contract a remarkable eight (!) Portuguese footballers, largely from the less fashionable clubs of the Bwin Liga, is paying handsome rewards.

Antonio Semedo (pictured) scored twice as CFR made it six wins in a row with an emphatic 5-0 win over UT Arad in the Romanian Liga 1 at the CFR Stadium on Saturday.

The former Estrela da Amadora forward has now scored four goals in his last six games as Cluj, unbeaten in eleven games, strengthened their hold on second place with a great performance against the relegation battlers.

Cluj’s Italian manager Cristiano Bergodi has eight Portuguese players on his books, and started with four of his contingent for the match. Tony da Silva was selected in defence, while Pedro Oliveira and Dani played in midfield behind front man Semedo.

Star forward Adrian Anca put the home side ahead after 19 minutes and the advantage was doubled two minutes later when defender Cristian Panin added a second. Semedo put the match beyond the visitors and completed a blistering opening twenty-six minutes with the third shortly after.

Six Portuguese players in line-up

Former Boavista midfielder Manuel Jose was introduced with less than half an hour played to cover for the injured Cristian Coroian. Defender Ricardo Cadu, who also represented Boavista earlier in his career, was then thrown into the fray with just under an hour played, meaning that six of the ten outfield players in the Cluj side were Portuguese.

The home crowd had to wait until the 82nd minute for the fourth goal, Semedo getting his second before Romeo Surdu completed the rout three minutes later.

Defenders Fredy (formerly of Pacos de Ferreira) and youngster Vitinha, who was signed in January from Maria da Fonte, were not included in Bergodi’s squad for the match. Meanwhile, Portuguese Bruno Simao started up front for the visitors.

Cluj remain ten points behind runaway leaders Dinamo Bucharest, but now have a five-point gap between them and Rapid Bucharest after previous third placed side Steaua were beaten this weekend.

Having finished fifth last season, a runners-up spot this campaign and automatic qualification for the Uefa Cup would represent a major improvement for the team from Cluj-Napoca. With eight games left to play, Cluj still have to play Steaua Bucharest, as well as a key double-header against Dinamo and Rapid early next month.

CFR Cluj:
Stancioiu, Tony, Jula, De Souza (Cadu, 58), Panin, Pedro Oliveira, Coroian (Manuel Jose, 28), Dani, Anca (Didi, 65), Semedo, Surdu
Yellow Cards: Didi (72)

FC UTA:
Tudor, Balan, Balint, Chirita, Vasiljevic (Apostu, 46), Hora (Anca, 80), Todea, Varga (Djoković, 31), Simao, Simion, Silva
Yellow Cards: Silva (8), Todea (42)

Goals:
[1-0] Anca, 15
[2-0] Panin, 19
[3-0] Semedo, 26
[4-0] Semedo, 82
[5-0] Surdu, 85