Astra Giurgiu was crowned champion of Romania's top soccer league Liga I on Monday night. Coach Marius Sumudica's players got the champion shirts and medals on their home arena 'Marin Anastasovici' in Giurgiu from the Professional Football League (LPF) vice president Robert Pongracz and secretary general Justin Stefan, just after defeating Dinamo Bucharest by 4-2.
LPF president Gino Iorgulescu was in the audience as team captain Valerica Gaman raised the first champion trophy of Astra, already secured on Sunday night, when rivals Steaua Bucharest drew versus Pandurii Tg. Jiu.
Astra, founded in 1921 and moved from Ploiesti to Giurgiu in 2012, had already won Romania's Cup and Super Cup in 2014. The team, also winner in the regular season, will play in the third qualifying round of UEFA Champions League.
This year's squad comprised goalkeepers Silviu Lung jr, George Gavrilas and Ionut Bosneag; defenders Pedro Queiros, Geraldo Alves, Junior Morais, Cristian Oros, Valerică Gaman, Adrian Scarlatache and Ricardo Alves; midfielders Iulian Rosu, Takayuki Seto, Boubacar Mansaly, Fernando Henrique Boldrin, Damien Boudjemaa, Florin Lovin, Alexandru Ionita II, Alexandru Stan, Filipe Teixeira, Alexandru Dandea, William De Amorim, Romario Moise and Fwayo Tembo; and forwards Denis Alibec, Daniel Florea, Daniel Niculae, Constantin Budescu and Ninos Gouriye. Tembo, Budescu and Gouriye have left the team during the season.