CSM Slatina produced a stirring second-half comeback to beat Selimbar 2-1 at home on Saturday, 19 September 2026, turning a losing position into a valuable Romanian Liga II victory in front of their own supporters. Trailing at the interval, the Olt county side found another gear after the break and deservedly took all three points.

First Half: Selimbar Ask the Questions

The visitors started the brighter of the two teams, pressing high and disrupting Slatina's attempts to play out from the back. Their reward came midway through the first period when a well-worked move down the right ended with a low finish into the far corner, a goal that stunned a home crowd expecting their side to dictate terms.

For the remainder of the half, Slatina struggled to find any fluency. Their midfield was hurried into long passes, and the front two were starved of service. Selimbar, compact and organised, looked comfortable protecting their advantage and went into the break good value for their lead.

Second Half: The Turnaround

Whatever was said in the home dressing room at half-time clearly landed. Slatina emerged with far greater urgency, pushed their full-backs higher and began to win the ball back in more advanced positions. The equaliser arrived shortly after the restart, Marius Tudor reacting quickest inside the box to turn home a loose ball after a corner had been only half-cleared.

From that moment the game tilted decisively. Selimbar dropped deeper and deeper, their earlier composure replaced by hurried clearances, and Slatina laid siege to the penalty area. The winner came with around twelve minutes remaining, Alexandru Popa arriving late in the box to meet a cut-back first time and send the home support into raptures.

Key Moments at a Glance

• First half: Selimbar take the lead with a clinical counter-attacking move.
• Early second half: Marius Tudor levels from a corner to swing the momentum.
• 78th minute: Alexandru Popa scores the winner from a well-rehearsed move down the left.
• Closing stages: Slatina manage the game calmly, restricting Selimbar to hopeful deliveries.

Tactical Story

The match turned on Slatina's decision to play with greater width and tempo after the interval. By stretching Selimbar across the pitch, they created the space for late runners from midfield — exactly how both goals were manufactured. Selimbar, for their part, will rue their failure to keep the ball higher up the pitch once they had the lead, allowing wave after wave of pressure to build.

Standout Performers

Tudor was the catalyst for the comeback, not only for his goal but for the way he dragged his team forward with relentless running. Popa's match-winning contribution underlined his value as a big-game player, while Slatina's goalkeeper produced a smart stoppage-time save to protect the points. For Selimbar, their first-half display showed plenty of promise, but the second half exposed a lack of control when the momentum shifted.

Season Impact

Home wins of this character are the currency of promotion pushes in Liga II. CSM Slatina not only collect three points but also a psychological lift from proving they can recover from adversity. Selimbar leave with nothing despite a promising opening 45 minutes, and will be eager to correct their game management in the fixtures that follow.