Baile Felix and Crisul Santandrei played out a tense 0-0 draw in the Romanian Cup on Wednesday evening, with neither side able to find a goal in a contest that was decided by fine margins. The stalemate meant the tie went to extra time and, ultimately, a penalty shootout to determine which team would progress to the next round.

Defences on top

From the opening whistle, both sides showed plenty of respect for each other's counter-attacking threat. Baile Felix enjoyed the majority of possession in the first half and created a handful of set-piece opportunities, but a combination of last-ditch blocks and a confident goalkeeper kept the hosts at bay.

Crisul Santandrei grew into the game after the interval and twice came close to breaking the deadlock. A curling free-kick grazed the crossbar, and a goalbound header was palmed over by the home keeper. As the clock ticked down, the game became increasingly tense, with both teams reluctant to take risks in possession.

Goalless to the finish

Extra time followed the same pattern, with tired legs throughout the pitch. Neither side was willing to give away a decisive chance, and the teams returned to the changing rooms still locked at 0-0. In the shootout, nerves played their part, but the goalkeepers came to the fore once again.

A cup night to remember

While the scoreline was not pretty, this was exactly the kind of competitive cup tie that makes the Romanian Cup special. Baile Felix and Crisul Santandrei, two sides familiar with each other from lower-league competition, produced a disciplined, hard-fought contest that was ultimately decided by the smallest of margins.