Universitatea Craiova 1-1 Ararat-Armenia: Match Report, Goals, Stats and Ratings
Europa League · Thursday 20 August 2026 · Stadionul Ion Oblemenco (Craiova), Craiova · referee N. Walsh · full time
Full time: Universitatea Craiova 1-1 Ararat-Armenia
Universitatea Craiova and Ararat-Armenia drew 1-1 in Europa League on Thursday 20 August 2026 at Stadionul Ion Oblemenco (Craiova). The goals: Alexandros Malis 20', Nicușor Bancu 33'.
How the match unfolded
Alexandros Malis put Ararat-Armenia ahead in the 20th minute, set up by Hugo Oliveira. Universitatea Craiova levelled at 1-1 in the 33rd minute through Nicușor Bancu , set up by Alexandru Cicâldău.
It was 1-1 at half-time, and nothing changed after the break.
The referee, N. Walsh, showed 4 yellow cards: 4 to Universitatea Craiova and 0 to Ararat-Armenia.
Universitatea Craiova: F. Amaral Rino Coelho, 3-4-3 · Ararat-Armenia: M. da Silva Cruz, 4-3-3.
Moneyball's prediction against the result
Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.
Why it went this way
Universitatea Craiova had 6 shots on target, Ararat-Armenia 2.
Ararat-Armenia's goalkeeper made 5 saves.
Universitatea Craiova had 58% of the ball.
Where the two sides stood before this match
Universitatea Craiova came into it with 4 Europa League matches played, scoring 1.0 and conceding 1.0 a match, with 0.37 expected goals for and – against, and had won 25% of their matches.
Ararat-Armenia came into it with 3 Europa League matches played, scoring 1.0 and conceding 1.7 a match, with 0.89 expected goals for and – against, and had won 33% of their matches.
Universitatea Craiova vs Ararat-Armenia: the match in numbers
| Universitatea Craiova | Match statistics | Ararat-Armenia |
|---|---|---|
| 58% | Ball possession | 42% |
| 13 | Total shots | 6 |
| 6 | Shots on target | 2 |
| 8 | Corners | 4 |
| 14 | Fouls | 5 |
| 2 | Offsides | 3 |
| 2 | Saves | 5 |
| 4 | Yellow cards | 0 |
Team statistics from Sportmonks.
Player ratings and man of the match
Man of the match: Nicușor Bancu (Universitatea Craiova), rated 7.0 by Sportmonks.
Universitatea Craiova
- Nicușor Bancu 7.0
- Anzor Mekvabishvili 6.7
- Steven Nsimba 6.6
- Ștefan Baiaram 6.6
- Alexandru Cicâldău 6.5 1 assist
Ararat-Armenia
- Alexandros Malis 6.9 1 goal
- Zhirayr Shaghoyan 6.5
- Balanta Jr. 6.5
- Maxence Carlier 6.5
- Alwyn Tera 6.5
The lowest-rated starter was João Bravim at 6.1. Ratings run from 0 to 10; around 7.0 is a solid match.
What comes next
- Universitatea Craiova: Universitatea Craiova vs Getafe Thursday 15 October 2026 · Europa Conference League
- Ararat-Armenia: Jagiellonia Białystok vs Ararat-Armenia Thursday 15 October 2026 · Europa League
Each preview has Moneyball's estimate for the next match, published before kick-off and marked against the result afterwards, as this one is.
Questions about Universitatea Craiova vs Ararat-Armenia
What was the score in Universitatea Craiova vs Ararat-Armenia?
Universitatea Craiova 1-1 Ararat-Armenia (half-time 1-1), Europa League, Thursday 20 August 2026.
Who scored in Universitatea Craiova vs Ararat-Armenia?
Alexandros Malis 20', Nicușor Bancu 33'.
Did Moneyball predict Universitatea Craiova vs Ararat-Armenia correctly?
Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.
Who was man of the match in Universitatea Craiova vs Ararat-Armenia?
Nicușor Bancu, rated 7.0 by Sportmonks.
Who refereed Universitatea Craiova vs Ararat-Armenia?
N. Walsh.
Every match, before and after
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