SLATINA, Romania (Interstat) — Concordia scored twice in a three-minute burst late in the first half and held off CSM Slatina 2-1 at Stadionul Metalurgistul. Din Sula put the visitors ahead in the 38th minute, and Alexis Chamorro doubled the lead in the 41st. CSM Slatina halved the deficit through Robert Lapadatescu in the 80th minute, but Concordia kept the hosts from finding an equalizer in the closing stages. The visitors’ quick strike before halftime proved the difference in a match that grew increasingly physical.

The opening exchanges were scrappy, and the yellow cards began early. Ghindovean D. of Concordia was booked in the 20th minute. CSM Slatina’s Sorescu Y. followed in the 34th, and Concordia’s Dumitrascu D. was cautioned in the 35th. Baraitaru M. of CSM Slatina was shown a yellow card in the 40th minute, shortly before Concordia’s two-goal close to the first half. The bookings interrupted the flow of the game and set a tense tone before the interval.

Concordia entered the match after a 1-1 draw with Sepsi and a 2-2 draw at Unirea Slobozia, while CSM Slatina came in after a 0-2 loss at Cetatea Suceava. Concordia’s recent form also included a 5-0 win over Selimbar, a 3-2 loss at Chindia Targoviste and a 3-2 loss to Steaua Bucuresti. CSM Slatina had beaten Unirea Slobozia 1-0, lost at CSM Resita 3-1, lost to Univ. Craiova 4-0 and drawn 0-0 at FC Arges.

Sula’s goal gave Concordia the breakthrough after a tense first half-hour. Chamorro struck three minutes later to give the visitors a cushion before the break. The two scorers were later substituted, with Chamorro coming off in the 59th minute and Sula in the 65th. Concordia’s attacking efficiency in that short stretch proved decisive in a match where CSM Slatina otherwise had stretches of possession and late pressure. The visitors defended their lead with discipline after the restart.

CSM Slatina made three changes in the 46th minute, involving Serbanica D., Sorescu Y. and Munoz P. Rauta A. followed in the 56th as the hosts sought a spark. Concordia responded with changes of its own, including the introductions connected to Chamorro and Sula coming off. The substitutions gave the game a broken rhythm, but CSM Slatina gradually pushed more players forward in search of a way back.

Ghindovean D. was booked in the 57th minute. Pareja L. was cautioned in the 61st, Padureanu I. in the 64th, and Concordia picked up another yellow card in the 82nd. CSM Slatina was booked in the 89th, and Concordia was cautioned again in the 90+4th minute. The card count reflected the game’s chippy nature, though Concordia maintained its composure after taking the lead. The late bookings came as CSM Slatina pressed and Concordia worked to run down the clock.

Lapadatescu’s 80th-minute goal gave CSM Slatina hope. The hosts pushed for a second goal in the closing minutes, but Concordia held on for the win. CSM Slatina could not convert its late pressure into an equalizer as Concordia saw out the final stages. The hosts’ late push produced the goal but not an equalizer. The result moved Concordia to 2-1-1 in the competition this season and 2-2-2 across all competitions. CSM Slatina is now 1-3-0 in the competition and 1-4-1 across all competitions.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Concordia 2, CSM Slatina 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected CSM Slatina with a 51.7 percent probability to win. CSM Slatina had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.5. The total score of 3 went under the over/under line of 2.5.