Al-Hamlawi Writes History in "Bănie": A Palestinian Brace Sinks Cluj 4-0 at Ion Oblemenco
Craiova, Romania – GCC Sport
The collapse of the "Red Caps" at Ion Oblemenco Stadium was no passing result in Matchday 8 of the Romanian Superliga — it was a scene replayed to historical script. Craiova, the newly crowned champions, reminded their guests from Cluj why they've earned the nickname "Black Beast" ever since Cluj's return to the top flight in 2022. But the name that signed the difference this time carried weight far beyond the borders of a small Eastern European league: Assad Al-Hamlawi, the Palestinian striker who turned ten minutes of the second half into an emphatic statement of intent for his new season.
The first half ended goalless, marked by the visitors' caution and the hosts' dominance without that dominance translating onto the scoreboard, despite the home side's penalty claim in the 45+1' minute going unanswered. But Craiova saved its fury for the second half, erupting for three goals in just ten minutes that left Cluj no chance to catch its breath.
Al-Hamlawi opened the scoring in the 47th minute with a powerful strike that settled the contest early, before adding his second in the 52nd with a precise header off a cross from teammate Mora. The brace was no mere pair of extra entries in his record — it was confirmation that he is a "big-match player" who is never satisfied without finding the net. This is the same man who led Craiova to the Romanian league title last May, the club's first championship since the 1990-91 season, scoring a brace of his own in that decisive match.
Then it was Vladimir Screciu's turn to extend the lead in the 55th minute with a superb strike from outside the box, before Cluj's Lukic squandered a clear chance in the 63rd, firing over from close range a moment that summed up the visitors' lack of attacking answers all match long. Simon Elisor put the finishing touch on the rout in the 77th minute, scoring on his first touch after coming on as a substitute, handing Craiova a win that left no room for interpretation.
With this result, Craiova climbed to fourth place with 14 points from eight matches a trajectory fitting for the title holders despite an uneven start to the season. Cluj, meanwhile, swallowed its third consecutive defeat, following losses to Dinamo (1-2) and Petrolul Ploiești (2-3), leaving them frozen on 9 points in 14th place, a zone that spells a difficult season ahead unless the club corrects course quickly. The historical numbers only darken the picture for "Red Caps" supporters: of the 13 meetings between the two sides since Cluj's return to the top division, Craiova has won six, Cluj just two, with five draws a record confirming that Oblemenco has become a haunted ground for today's visitors.
After the final whistle, Al-Hamlawi born in Helsingborg, Sweden to Palestinian roots, and the man wearing the number 9 shirt for Craiova made no secret of his satisfaction with his team's performance, crediting desire above all else for the difference: "I think we played a good match, and we were the better team. We were hungrier than them." He added that the squad had come through a difficult week and month, and that the healthy competition among the attackers is what keeps everyone sharp and ready.
What stands out is that Al-Hamlawi's journey he joined Craiova in July 2025 on a three-year deal from Poland's Śląsk Wrocław reads as a story of quiet perseverance far from the bright lights: from Ängelholm in Sweden to Helsingborg, through an Asian spell with Prime Bangkok, to an exceptional season crowned with a share of the Superettan's top-scorer award in 2024, and then his selection to the Romanian league's Team of the Season last year. Today, wearing Palestine's colors for his national team since 2025, Al-Hamlawi adds a new chapter to his record proof that sons of the Palestinian diaspora are still writing their presence in Europe's farthest-flung, least-spotlighted stadiums, in the language of goals, which needs no translation.
Dr. Talal Othman, General Manager — GCC Sport
