Rapid Bucharest Climbs to the Top of the Romanian League... and Grameni Breaks His Silence After Six Months
Dr. Talal Othman, General Manager — GCC Sport
Bucharest, Romania
The victory Rapid Bucharest secured over visitors FC Argeș Pitești, three goals to one, on Friday evening at Giulești Stadium, was more than just three points added to Daniel Pancu's tally in matchday ten of the Romanian Superliga. It read more like a statement of intent: the "Giuleștenii" wanted the top spot, and they got it 21 points leaving behind an Argeș side still stumbling far from its own turf, taking nothing from its trip to Bucharest but the eleventh-place table to show for it.
The match opened with an early warning the hosts barely registered, when Luvambo's attempt cracked against Rapid's crossbar a sign that Argeș had not come merely to defend. But the response arrived swift and decisive: in the 21st minute, off a carefully weighted pass from newly-signed Serbian striker Filip Stojilković, Constantin "Dina" Grameni struck the ball with the outside of his foot from inside the box to find the net. It was no ordinary goal; it was a symbolic return for a player who hadn't found the back of the net since March 14, in a historic win over Dinamo during the playoff stage. Six months of goal drought ended with a single touch, a reminder that Grameni who joined from Farul Constanța for a €400,000 fee still possesses the decisive touch that helped him claim the league title two seasons ago.
The second half revealed the true gap between the two sides. Rapid dominated proceedings, with Moruțan troubling Argeș goalkeeper Nikić more than once, before Grameni sealed the matter again in the 57th minute with a calm, lobbed finish over the advancing keeper his personal brace, handing his side a comfortable cushion. Argeș tried to find a way back into the match through Oanță's goal in the 68th minute, attempting to reopen the arithmetic, but the gap in readiness and ambition between a team fighting for the top and another searching for stability away from relegation trouble was too wide to be bridged by a single goal.
In stoppage time, Pancu added his own personal touch, sending on Andrei Șucu the club owner's son who needed only moments to score the clinching goal in the 90+4th minute with a well-placed angled strike. A moment like this, with all it implies about the relationship between the boardroom and the dressing room, will remain rich material for discussion beyond the pitch itself, regardless of its footballing value on the day.
The more important number, though, sits in the standings: Rapid now tops the table with 21 points after ten rounds though the lead is conditional on Dinamo's upcoming result, a sign the title race remains wide open and tightly contested. Argeș, despite its relative resilience on the day, continues to struggle away from home, having managed just one win in its last eight away matches this season. In a historic rivalry spanning 80 meetings between the two clubs, Rapid remained true to its traditional dominance over its opponent, particularly at Giulești, where it holds 25 wins from 40 matches.
What deserves watching now is not just Rapid's position at the summit, but its ability to hold onto it in a title race that won't offer it much room to rest.
