National cups are something special for many teams and supporters. Today's match will decide whether it's Rapid Bucuresti or SSC Farul that keep their silverware dream alive.
The hosts Rapid Bucuresti saw competitive action as recent as three days ago, playing in the Liga 1. That game was an away game at FCSB, so at least Bucuresti are thankful to return home in this one. Game on!
Rapid Bucuresti form and stats
Last season their Romania Cup adventure ended in the round of 16.This stadium, Stadionul Valentin Stănescu, has been a fortress for Rapid Bucuresti in the Liga 1 so far this season with the win-draw-loss statistic 6-2-0.
The supporters are hoping that Rapid Bucuresti will strike back in this fixture, putting things right after the 1-3 away loss in the game against FCSB.
Ahead of that match, Rapid Bucuresti won a home game hosting CFR Cluj (2-1).This is expected to be a close game, with Rapid Bucuresti perhaps considered small favourites due to their home advantage. Looking back at earlier matches similar to this one (expected to be close with Rapid Bucuresti as a small favourite), we find 10 games. Rapid Bucuresti has won 7 of these, drawn 1 and lost 2.
The match schedule is unforgiving for Bucuresti as they have a new game in only three days, a Liga 1 match thankfully also at home. Universitatea Craiova are visiting.
Rapid Bucuresti have proved capable of finding the net in their games here at Stadionul Valentin Stănescu with 12 goals in 8 league matches. From these home matches, Rapid Bucuresti have conceded only 5 goals.
SSC Farul form and stats
Last season their Romania Cup adventure ended in the round of 32.SSC Farul's travelling support has been rewarded for their time and money so far this season, having witnessed SSC Farul collect 17 points from their 8 away matches in the Liga 1. 5 victories and 2 draws have created these points (and only 1 defeat).
Farul go into this game after a win, the home game against Mioveni that ended 2-1. Andronache came off the bench to score the winning goal in the match against Mioveni last time out, making the manager Hagi feel like a tactical genius.
Prior to that result SSC Farul won their away game at U Craiova 1948 in the Liga 1. The scoreline was 2-1.As mentioned above, this is an open game with no clear favourite. We have found 6 similar matches played by SSC Farul in our archives, and the results are: 2 wins for Farul, 1 draw and 3 defeats.
The schedule is very tough for SSC Farul now as they have to travel again shortly after this match. A Liga 1 game at Chindia Târgovişte is waiting in only three days.
As opposed to that, SSC Farul have seen the ball go into their own net 9 times on the road.
Head 2 Head
Last six meetings between these teams: Bucuresti won one, SSC Farul were winners in two and we saw three draws. two games with over 2,5 goals, four matches with less than 2,5 goals.
Top Goalscorers
  D. Alibec 6 goals |   M. Dugandžić 5 goals |
Rapid Bucuresti missing players
SSC Farul missing players
| Rapid Bucuresti | SSC Farul | ||||||
| Total | Home | Statistics | Stat | Away | Total | ||
| 25 | 10 | Played | P | 11 | 25 | ||
| 13 | 6 | Won | W | 5 | 13 | ||
| 2 | 2 | Drew | D | 3 | 8 | ||
| 10 | 2 | Lost | L | 3 | 4 | ||
| 36 | 15 | Scored | S | 20 | 44 | ||
| 34 | 15 | Conceded | C | 17 | 28 | ||
| 100% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 100% | 88% | ||
| 72% | 80% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 91% | 84% | ||
| 52% | 50% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 64% | 60% | ||
| 24% | 20% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 45% | 36% | ||
| 20% | 20% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 18% | 12% | ||
| 56% | 70% | BTTS | BTTS | 82% | 68% | ||
| 28% | 30% | Clean Sheets | C S | 18% | 32% | ||
| 16% | 0% | Failed to Score | F T | 0% | 12% | ||
| 5.3 | 5.1 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 5.8 | 4.9 | ||
| 4.1 | 4.3 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 4 | 3 | ||
| 1.9 | 2.1 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 2.4 | 1.9 | ||
| 3 | 1 | Red cards | R C | 0 | 1 | ||
| 12.4 | 12.8 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 12.8 | 12.6 | ||
| 4.8 | 5.4 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 4.6 | 5.3 | ||
| 31% | 28% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 41% | 33% | ||
| 10 | 9.2 | Shots against (avg) | S A | 12.6 | 9.1 | ||
| 3.4 | 3.2 | Shots on Target against (avg) | S O | 5.4 | 3.9 | ||
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | SSC Farul | 17 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 32 | 13 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 9 | 19 | 40 |
| 2 | Rapid Bucuresti | 17 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 20 | 14 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 5 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 32 |
| 3 | CFR Cluj | 15 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 26 | 15 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 11 | 31 |
| 4 | Universitatea Craiova | 16 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 20 | 16 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 30 |
| 5 | Hermannstadt | 16 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 19 | 14 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 26 |
| 6 | Petrolul 52 | 17 | 8 | 2 | 7 | 17 | 18 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 9 | -1 | 26 |
| 7 | FCSB | 15 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 23 | 21 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 16 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 2 | 23 |
| 8 | Sepsi | 17 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 26 | 14 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 6 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 8 | 12 | 22 |
| 9 | Voluntari | 17 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 13 | 17 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 10 | -4 | 20 |
| 10 | Argeş | 17 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 13 | 25 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 14 | -12 | 20 |
| 11 | Chindia Târgovişte | 16 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 20 | 21 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 10 | -1 | 19 |
| 12 | Botosani | 16 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 14 | 21 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 14 | -7 | 19 |
| 13 | Universitatea Cluj | 17 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 12 | 18 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 11 | -6 | 17 |
| 14 | U Craiova 1948 | 17 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 17 | 21 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 13 | -4 | 16 |
| 15 | UTA Arad | 17 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 15 | 23 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 14 | -8 | 16 |
| 16 | Mioveni | 17 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 10 | 26 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 16 | -16 | 8 |
