Clinceni’s Unbeaten Run Survives Filiaşi’s Late Fight: Leaders Edge Past Struggling Hosts in Liga III Thriller

On a gray October afternoon at Stadionul Orășenesc Filiași, LPS HD Clinceni solidified their grip atop Liga III - Serie 5, outlasting a late surge from Filiaşi to claim a 2-1 win that underscored the gulf between the league’s longest unbeaten side and its most embattled stragglers.

Filiaşi, still searching for answers after a harrowing sequence of defeats, arrived with a solitary win from six attempts—a team weighed down by recent history and desperate for relief. Their last five matches—marked by a series of narrow losses and a bruising 0-9 Cupa României exit—set the tone for a club fighting to stay afloat. Clinceni, meanwhile, had spent the season compiling results with ruthless efficiency, with 14 points from six matches and no loss in league play, their robust form only blemished by a Cupa României setback in August.

From the opening whistle, the distinctions were evident. Clinceni took early initiative, pressing Filiaşi’s brittle back line and dictating the game’s rhythm with crisp passing and clever movement. The breakthrough came in the 17th minute, as midfielder Ionuț Stoica carved open the defense with a deft through ball. Forward Andrei Dobre latched on and coolly slotted past Filiaşi’s keeper, eliciting a roar from the traveling bench and giving the visitors an early advantage.

The goal appeared to deepen Filiaşi’s anxieties. They struggled to string passes together, hampered by Clinceni’s aggressive pressing and their own uncertainty in possession. Before halftime, Clinceni doubled their lead. In the 41st minute, a corner swung in by Cosmin Gherasim was nodded home by towering center-back Cristian Munteanu, whose leap and timing left defenders grasping at shadows—a moment that seemed to encapsulate both Clinceni’s organizational strength and Filiaşi’s season-long frailty in set-piece defense.

Trailing 0-2 at the interval, Filiaşi returned with renewed vigor, spurred on by a crowd seeking solace. Their response was spirited but frantic, as they threw numbers forward and tested Clinceni’s composure. The match’s turning point arrived in the 68th minute: Filiaşi winger Florin Popescu surged down the left, wriggling past two defenders before drawing a clumsy challenge inside the box. The referee pointed to the spot, awarding Filiaşi a lifeline amid mounting pressure.

Popescu himself stepped up, and with ice in his veins, dispatched the penalty with a crisp finish, halving the deficit and injecting hope into the stands. The goal galvanized Filiaşi, who suddenly found rhythm and confidence that had eluded them for weeks.

For the final twenty minutes, Clinceni’s unbeaten run looked vulnerable for the first time all afternoon. The league leaders absorbed waves of attack, with goalkeeper Vlad Olteanu producing a pair of inspired saves, including a reflex stop from a fizzing shot by substitute Darius Avram. In the 81st minute, the match cracked open again when Filiaşi’s midfielder Alexandru Marin was shown a straight red for a reckless challenge—stifling the hosts’ momentum just as belief was cresting.

Reduced to ten men, Filiaşi’s resistance faded in the closing minutes. Clinceni kept possession, slowing the tempo, and ground out the result with the kind of professionalism that has carried them to the summit. The final whistle drew applause from the visitors and a smattering of appreciation from home fans who recognized their side’s late effort despite another painful loss.

For Filiaşi, the defeat compounds a troubling narrative: just three points from six matches, anchored near the foot of the table and now nursing five losses in their last five competitive fixtures. The brief spark this afternoon—a rare goal, a fleeting moment of hope—cannot mask the questions facing manager Nicolae Gruia, who must now find a way to reverse a slide that threatens the club’s League III status.

Clinceni, by contrast, march on. Their victory not only preserves their unbeaten league record (four wins, two draws) but stretches their lead at the top, as rivals scramble to keep pace with a squad blending defensive discipline and attacking flair. They have shown the ability to win comfortably, as in their recent 6-0 rout at CSL Nanov, and now demonstrated poise under pressure—hallmarks of a side with promotion ambitions.

There is little recent head-to-head history to color this fixture; Clinceni’s ascent and Filiaşi’s struggles have rarely intersected with such stakes. Today’s result, however, may prove a defining juncture. Filiaşi remain locked in a battle for survival, seeking fresh direction. For Clinceni, every match is a step closer to a season that is beginning to feel historic.

Looking ahead, Filiaşi’s next outing is a test not merely of skill, but of character—a chance to halt the spiral and rekindle hope. For Clinceni, the challenge shifts to maintaining concentration and consistency, knowing that league leadership invites pressure with every fixture. If today’s performance is any indication, they are a team ready to answer every question the campaign throws their way.