Late Penalty Denies CFR Cluj Victory as Csikszereda Salvages Point in Dramatic Draw

The final whistle at Stadionul Municipal came with a collective exhale from the home supporters, who had just witnessed their struggling side claw back from the precipice of defeat. Lóránd Pászka's 90th-minute penalty rescued a 2-2 draw for Csikszereda against CFR 1907 Cluj on Thursday, extending both clubs' frustrating runs of inconsistency in Romania's top flight.

For Cluj, this felt less like a point earned than two points surrendered. Dan Petrescu's side had controlled stretches of the second half and appeared poised to climb away from the relegation conversation after Islam Slimani's 71st-minute strike. Instead, they remain mired in 12th place with just 12 points from 11 matches, their sixth draw in a campaign defined by an inability to close out matches.

The evening began with promise for the visitors. Andrei Cordea struck in the 17th minute, finishing a flowing move that showcased the quality Cluj possesses on paper but rarely demonstrates with consistency. The goal seemed to validate Petrescu's tactical approach, and for a brief moment, Cluj looked capable of building momentum.

But Csikszereda, anchored in 15th place with only eight points, refused to capitulate on their own ground. Márton Eppel equalized in the 34th minute, capitalizing on defensive uncertainty that has plagued Cluj throughout this uneven season. The goal injected life into a Csikszereda side that had managed just one victory all campaign—a 2-1 triumph over Universitatea Cluj on October 4th that now feels like a distant memory.

The second half belonged to Cluj's experience. Slimani, the Algerian striker whose journeyman career has taken him from Leicester City to Lyon and now to Romania's first division, looked every bit the seasoned professional when he restored Cluj's advantage 19 minutes from time. His finish was clinical, the kind of moment that separates relegation battles from mid-table security.

Yet this Cluj side has made a habit of self-sabotage. Their recent form—a patchwork of draws against Universitatea Cluj, Uta Arad, and Metaloglobus—suggested a team capable of competing but incapable of winning. Thursday's collapse only reinforced that narrative.

The penalty that changed everything came in stoppage time, awarded for a challenge inside Cluj's area that will be debated long after the floodlights dimmed. Pászka stepped up and converted with composure that belied his team's lowly position. For Csikszereda, it represented their fifth draw in 11 matches, a record that speaks to resilience if not quality.

The context makes this result particularly troubling for Cluj. A club with European pedigree and domestic dominance in recent memory now finds itself closer to the relegation zone than the title race. Their six draws and three losses in 11 matches paint a picture of a team treading water, unable to impose its will even against bottom-half opposition.

For Csikszereda, the point offers modest relief but little else. With just one win and five draws accompanying five losses, they remain deep in the relegation mire, two points clear of the drop zone but showing few signs of sustainable improvement. Their recent run—a victory, three consecutive draws before today, and this latest point—suggests a team learning to compete without necessarily knowing how to win.

Both sides now face pivotal stretches that could define their seasons. Cluj must find a way to transform their competitiveness into victories before the season spirals beyond recovery. Their talent suggests they should be nowhere near the bottom half, yet here they are, watching two points slip away in injury time.

Csikszereda, meanwhile, must determine whether their newfound ability to avoid defeat can eventually translate into the victories they desperately need. Draws keep you in the fight, but only wins provide escape velocity from relegation.

As the Stadionul Municipal emptied into the October night, both sets of supporters departed with the same uneasy feeling: their teams had neither won nor lost, merely delayed the inevitable reckoning that Liga I's long season will eventually demand.