In Mihai Viteazu Hall, Steaua recorded a decisive victory against Unirea Dej and after the 13th round, took sole lead in the standings. The hosts prevailed with3:0 (25:14, 25:20, 26:24)in a match where the intrigue only appeared in the third set.
After dominating the first two sets, the team from the capital faced a serious challenge in the last part. Trailing 15:20, they found the strength to come back, equalized at 22:22, and closed the match 26:24, despite missing two set points.
The Bulgarian middle blockerKrasimir Georgievwas among the consistent figures in Steaua's lineup. He finished the match with8 points and +6 efficiency, with his presence at the net's center providing balance in both attack and blocking. His role was particularly important in the third set, when Steaua had to limit Unirea's play through the middle and stabilize their first touch.
The outside hitterSvetoslav Ivanov was not part of the squadfor this match. His absence did not affect the final result but deprived Steaua of additional security in reception and defensive play, where Ivanov usually contributes with consistency and manydefensive digs. In matches against a more equally matched opponent, his absence could have a more significant impact.
| Player | Points | Efficiency |
|---|---|---|
| Balyan | 16 | +12 |
| Baetens | 13 | +10 |
| Matej | 10 | +3 |
| Krasimir Georgiev | 8 | +6 |
| Polak | 8 | +4 |
The distribution of points shows a clearly expressed collective game. Georgiev is not leading the scoring list, but his high efficiency speaks of few errors and well-chosen attacks – precisely the profile coaches look for from a middle blocker in matches that need to be closed in three sets.
The success was logical and to some extent a revenge for the lost point in Dej ten days ago. Steaua demonstrated depth in its squad, and with the potential return ofSvetoslav Ivanovin the upcoming rounds, the team will have an even better balance in reception and defense, whileKrasimir Georgievcontinues to be the reliable factor at the net.
Standings
| Place | Team | Points | Matches | Wins | Losses | Sets | Set ratio | Point ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CSA Steaua București | 31 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 33:13 | 2,54 | 1,146 |
| 2 | SCM Zalău | 29 | 12 | 10 | 2 | 32:10 | 3,20 | 1,116 |
| 3 | CS Arcada Galați | 28 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 29:9 | 3,22 | 1,160 |
| 4 | CS Dinamo București | 25 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 28:11 | 2,55 | 1,121 |
Steaua is a leader not only in points but also in set ratio stability, which clearly shows the team's ability to close their matches in three or four sets. Zalău and Arcada remain in close proximity but have played fewer or more uneven matches. Dinamo occupies the fourth position with a good balance, and the indicators suggest potential for attacking the top three in the second half of the season.
In addition to the presence ofKrasimir Georgievin the squad of leader Steaua, Bulgarian participation in the Romanian championship will further increase. Fromthe new half-season Branimir Grozdanovwill play forDinamo București, which gives additional weight to the team in the battle for medals and makes the clashes with the other favorites even more interesting from a Bulgarian perspective.
