FK Csikszereda Miercurea Ciuc 2-0 FC Botosani | Romanian Super Liga | 16 May 2026

FK Csikszereda Miercurea Ciuc delivered a commanding performance on home soil to defeat FC Botosani 2-0 in a crucial Romanian Super Liga fixture at the Stadionul Municipal on Saturday night. The victory strengthened Csikszereda’s push for a top-half finish, while Botosani were left to rue a lack of cutting edge in the final third.

Match Overview

From the opening whistle, Csikszereda imposed their physical style and high pressing game, disrupting Botosani’s build-up play. The home side’s midfield trio dominated the centre of the park, forcing the visitors into hurried clearances. The breakthrough arrived in the 23rd minute when a well-worked corner routine saw centre-back Andrei Rus rise highest to nod home from six yards out. The goal set the tone for a first half in which Csikszereda created three further clear chances.

Key Moments

• 23’ – Goal: Andrei Rus (Csikszereda) – powerful header from a corner.
• 41’ – Missed chance: Botosani’s lone striker, Vasile Munteanu, fired wide after a rare defensive lapse.
• 58’ – Goal: Ioan Radu doubled the lead with a composed left-footed finish from the edge of the box after a swift counter-attack.
• 74’ – Red card: Botosani’s midfielder Alin Popescu was sent off for a second bookable offence, effectively ending the contest.

Tactical Story

Csikszereda manager Valentin Ștefan set up in a 4-3-3 formation designed to overload the flanks and force Botosani’s full-backs into defensive positions. The tactic paid off handsomely, as wingers Károly Bálint and Mihai Neagu repeatedly stretched the pitch. Botosani, by contrast, struggled to maintain possession and registered only two shots on target across the 90 minutes.

Standout Players

• Andrei Rus (Csikszereda) – Opened the scoring and marshalled the back line with authority.
• Ioan Radu (Csikszereda) – The midfielder’s driving runs and clinical finish made the points safe.
• Gabriel Nistor (Botosani) – The goalkeeper made six saves to keep the scoreline respectable.

Season Impact

The result lifts Csikszereda to seventh in the Romanian Super Liga standings, three points clear of the relegation playoff zone. Botosani remain in 11th place, dangerously close to the bottom three with only five matches remaining. For Csikszereda, this clean sheet was their third in four home games, underlining their growing solidity at the Stadionul Municipal.