CFR Cluj got their Champions League campaign off to a swashbuckling start by beating Braga 2-0 in Portugal. It wasn't a result anyone was expecting -- nor would you think that they'd be able to pull it off again -- but the Romanians were sublime on the counterattack and some superb word from goalkeeper Mario Felgueiras kept the hosts at bay.
Braga Vs. CFR Cluj, UEFA Champions League: Final Score 2-0, Cluj Earn Shock Win
Braga were the dominant force early on, but as they pressed for a goal they opened up at the back, and Cluj were on hand to take full advantage of that. Modou Sougou broke down the left wing and raced towards Beto’s goal, eventually squaring for Rafael Bastos. The striker’s shot from the edge of the area was perfectly placed, leaving the goalkeeper no chance and Cluj up by one.
It was the same story for the whole second half. Braga attack, somehow fail to score, and then let Cluj break. Just after the half hour mark, Pantelis Kapetanos had a golden opportunity to make it 2-0 on another counterattack, but put the ball just wide of Beto’s left post. No matter -- Bastos was on hand again to slot home on yet another fast break, doubling Cluj’s lead and providing them with all the cushion they needed to see the game out.
They’d have to weather a storm from their hosts to escape with the three points, however. Braga ended up tallying a whopping 38 shots, with ten on target. Granted, many of those shots were from well outside the box, but it was still something of an onslaught, and full credit to Felgueiras for battening down the hatches and holding them at bay. This result could make Group H pretty interesting.
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