Universitatea Craiova’s match at Sepsi Arena in Sfântu Gheorghe turned on a disputed refereeing decision in etapa #13, with the Sepsi Vs Cs Universitatea Craiova standings becoming part of the wider debate after the 31st-minute penalty stood following a VAR review.
The game had already started quickly for Craiova. In the 2nd minute, Romanchuk scored to make it 1-0, giving the visitors an early advantage. The major talking point, though, came in the 31st minute, when referee Horia Mladinovici awarded a penalty after contact involving Lindsay Rose and Tudor Băluță.
What made the call especially controversial was the delay before it was confirmed. After about 3 minutes of VAR analysis, the decision remained in place, and Assad Al Hamlawi converted from the spot to make it 2-0.
What Marius Avram said about the call
The penalty immediately drew criticism from Marius Avram, who made clear he did not agree with the decision. His view was direct: “Nu îmi place penalty-ul care s-a dat.” He added that the incident was not clear enough to justify the award, saying, “Genul acesta de penalty nu e clar, îl încadrezi în categoria soft și nu l-aș fi dat.”
That reaction reflects the core issue in the match: not the final score alone, but whether the contact between Lindsay Rose and Tudor Băluță should have been punished at all. With VAR backing the on-field decision, the refereeing crew became the main story from the opening half.
For Universitatea Craiova, the penalty extended an already favorable start. For Sepsi, it was the kind of moment that can leave lasting frustration, especially when the call is viewed as soft and decisive. In a match defined by officiating discussion, the 31st-minute decision became the key episode to examine in Sepsi Vs Cs Universitatea Craiova standings context.
