Earning their Champions League stars with an 11-1 aggregate annihilation of Virtus and a slender 2-1 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv over two legs, FCSB were on course for a precious advantage on Czech soil last week, where Joyskim Dawa headed in the opening goal just past the hour mark.
The Romanian champions’ lead lasted for all of 18 minutes, though, as Sparta Prague substitute Victor Olatunji ensured that Tuesday’s visitors would avoid a gut-wrenching defeat on home turf, although Ilias Charalampous’s men would certainly have left with more of a spring in their step.
One-time European champions in the 1985-86 edition – when they were formerly known as Steaua Bucharest – FCSB’s continental record has been far more modest in recent seasons, underscored by their failure to reach the Champions League proper since 2013-14.
The 27-time Romanian champions have also endured several short-lived runs in the Europa League, as well as a group-stage exit in the 2022-23 Europa Conference League, and the defence of their top-flight crown also got off to an unpleasant start.
However, Charalampous’s troops made it fourth time lucky in Liga I action on Friday, twice coming from behind to defeat Farul Constanta 3-2 and pick up their first top-flight win of the campaign, although they required a 94th-minute Darius Olaru penalty to get over the line.
Earning their Champions League stars with an 11-1 aggregate annihilation of Virtus and a slender 2-1 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv over two legs, FCSB were on course for a precious advantage on Czech soil last week, where Joyskim Dawa headed in the opening goal just past the hour mark.
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