# Romanian Superliga football match controversies

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/romanian-superliga-football-match-controversies
> Updated: 2026-09-04T19:04:15.000Z. Sources: 38. Developments: 2.

Dinamo București secured a 2-1 victory over FCSB in a contentious Superliga derby at the Arcul de Triumf stadium. The match was characterized by significant officiating controversies involving referee Istvan Kovacs and several VAR interventions. A pivotal moment occurred in the 30th minute when FCSB defender Andre Duarte was sent off following a confrontation with Andrei Mărginean. Duarte later stated, “The defeat was my fault, if we were 11 against 11 on the field, we would have won.” 

The decision drew criticism from FCSB owner Gigi Becali and former referee Adrian Porumboiu, with Porumboiu suggesting a penalty should have been awarded to Dinamo instead. Former FIFA referee Marius Avram also heavily criticized Kovacs, describing the red card as being in a “grey zone” rather than a clear dismissal. Dinamo's Martin Pascual was named player of the match after scoring the opening goal and contributing to an own goal by FCSB's Arad in the 78th minute.

Following the win, Dinamo player Alexandru Musi expressed confidence in his team's form. Dinamo official Andrei Nicolescu praised the team's management of the match, though he noted that player Danny Armstrong did not meet expectations after missing a late penalty. FCSB coach Marius Baciu claimed the match was “ruined” by the refereeing, while owner Gigi Becali suggested the official required medical or psychological evaluation. Despite the loss, Becali indicated he would give Baciu more chances. The victory places Dinamo at the top of the standings with 17 points after eight rounds, while FCSB remains at 11 points in 6th place. In addition to the on-field disputes, the match involved disciplinary actions from the Gendarmerie, resulting in 23 contraventions totaling 30,490 lei and several bans for spectators.

## Claims

- Dinamo defeated FCSB 2-1 in the eighth round of the Superliga. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Martin Pascual scored the first goal for Dinamo. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- David Miculescu scored for FCSB. (single source)
- Referee Istvan Kovacs issued a red card to Andre Duarte during the first half. (single source)
- Andre Duarte stated that his contact with Mărginean was unintentional. (single source)
- Former referee Marius Avram criticized Istvan Kovacs's performance during the derby. (single source)
- Adrian Porumboiu asserted that a penalty should have been awarded to Dinamo for a foul on Cătălin Cîrjan. (single source)
- Istvan Kovacs rescinded a penalty decision for FCSB following a VAR review. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-04: Romania dominates U23 European Rowing and SuperLiga football

Romania dominated the U23 European Rowing Championships with nine gold medals, while Dinamo București took the SuperLiga lead after defeating FCSB 2-1.

37 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/dinamo-defeats-fcsb-2-1-amid-refereeing-controversy

### 2026-08-22: UTA and Corvinul draw after VAR disallows goal

UTA Arad and Corvinul drew after a controversial VAR decision disallowed a 68th-minute goal by Benga. The match featured a pre-game concert by Lidia Buble and intense pyrotechnics from supporters.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/uta-and-corvinul-draw-after-var-disallows-goal

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Cite as: Romanian Superliga football match controversies. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/romanian-superliga-football-match-controversies