The semi-finals of the Romanian Divizia A1 began with exceptional drama and fully justified expectations for the strongest edition in recent years. In the Bucharest derby, Dinamo prevailed as a guest against Steaua with a 3:2(25:13,23:25,25:27,25:22,15:13) victory after nearly three hours of battle.
The match started one-sidedly – Dinamo completely dominated the first set and won it decisively 25:13 after a series of powerful serves. Gradually, Steaua found its rhythm, stabilized its play, and turned the tide, winning the next two sets after contested rallies and better decisions in crucial moments.
In the fourth set, the "red-whites" showed character and restored parity, and in the tie-break, they demonstrated stronger resilience. Despite fluctuations and a comeback from 2:7 to 7:7, Dinamo managed to make a decisive final surge and close the match at 15:13.
The top scorer for the hosts in the match was Premović with 27 points, and his teammate Peța added 18, including 6 aces. Dinamo's new signing, Kristian From, who replaced Bulgarian Branimir Grozdanov, finished with 13 points.
Among the Bulgarian volleyball players in Steaua's squad, middle blocker Krasimir Georgiev performed at a high level with 11 points, +11 efficiency, and an impressive 85% attack success rate, while Svetoslav Ivanov added 3 points. Despite their contribution, their team could not hold onto its lead in the match.
The key to Dinamo's success was their serving effectiveness – 8 aces against only 7 errors, a rare ratio for a team that traditionally takes serious risks with their serve.
In the other semi-final, Arcada Galați also started with a dramatic victory, after overturning Zalău with a 3:2 score.
The second matches of the series are scheduled for April 25, when Dinamo will host Steaua again, and Zalău will host Arcada.

photo:Steaua București