CSM Turda lose to Apahida in final minute, youth project tested again

Vasile Moga Apahida defeated CSM Turda 3-2 on their home ground, scoring the decisive goal in the last minute and sending Turda’s young squad home without points. The outcome leaves Turda with another narrow defeat, despite dominating play for much of the match and creating several missed opportunities.

The match, played in Apahida, saw Turda control possession and build attacks through short passes and persistent pressing. Several clear chances went unfinished, a pattern that has frustrated the team across recent fixtures. “In the moment you lose the match in the last minute, you regret it, especially since we had some very good chances,” CSM Turda coach Dorin Suciu said after the final whistle.

CSM Turda fielded what is considered the youngest team in Liga a patra, with most players still in their teens and many experiencing senior football for the first time. The squad’s inexperience has been evident in recent matches, where late goals and contested refereeing decisions have repeatedly cost points. Suciu told reporters, “We are working with a very young group, the youngest team in Liga a patra. The refereeing was a total disappointment. This is the third match in which these kids are at a significant disadvantage.”

Paul Sava, who scored Turda’s opening goal, described the conditions as challenging. “It was a very tough pitch, very big, not the best playing conditions,” Sava said. He added, “Unfortunately, we lost 3-2, conceding the last goal in injury time. We are very young and just lacked that final touch at the end.” Sava’s remarks capture the mood of a team that is learning under pressure and refusing to make excuses.

Turda began the match pushing forward, with early pressure resulting in Sava’s goal. At halftime, the visitors looked in control, but the second half brought more drama. Ciava Ștefan converted a penalty to give Turda hope for a positive result, only for Apahida to capitalize on defensive lapses and score twice, including the winner in stoppage time.

The defeat marks another setback in a complicated period for CSM Turda. Recent results have not reflected the team’s effort or the balance of play, and the pattern of contested refereeing decisions has become a recurring theme. The team has now endured three consecutive matches where decisions have gone against them, a fact repeatedly noted by Suciu and his staff.

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Club president Mircea Pampea remained at the ground after the match, speaking with those close to the team. He did not make an official statement but was heard in the dressing room saying, “The boys gave everything they had, we can’t reproach them for anything.” Pampea’s support reflects the club’s commitment to its youth project, even as results fail to match the work put in.

The project behind CSM Turda aims to promote local talent from the city and surrounding areas, with an average squad age under 20. Many of the starting eleven are in their first senior season, and Suciu, who joined the club after working with junior teams, has taken on the responsibility of building a local core. For him, every match is both a test and a lesson.

Support from the city remains visible, with Attila Koloszi of the Turda City Hall attending the match and speaking with club leadership. The presence of municipal representatives signals ongoing backing for the team, even as home matches see fewer spectators and the atmosphere grows tense after each defeat.

Fans, too, have felt the strain of a season where results have not met expectations. At Turda’s last home game, the stands were half-empty, and conversations turned to both the lack of victories and simple bad luck. One middle-aged supporter, unmoved even as rain began to fall, commented that a good run of results might bring people back to the stadium.

Inside the dressing room after the match, the disappointment was palpable. Players, faces flushed from effort, packed their gear in silence, while a few gathered around Suciu as he tried to lift their spirits. “We go forward, we don’t have time to complain,” the coach told them, his determination clear.

For CSM Turda, the loss in Apahida is another reminder that effort and possession do not always guarantee points, especially for a side relying on youth over experience. With a squad where some players have yet to turn 18, each fixture is an initiation, and each week without points increases the pressure on both players and staff.

Refereeing decisions have become a focal point after three straight matches with disputed calls. Suciu stated, "This is the third match in which these kids are at a significant disadvantage." The County Football Association has not yet responded to the complaints from smaller clubs like Turda, leaving the team to focus on execution and finishing their chances in upcoming fixtures.