Viorel Smarandache
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Viorel Firu Smarandache | ||
| Date of birth | 2 July 1953[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Coșovenii de Sus, Romania[1] | ||
| Date of death | 15 December 2018 (aged 65)[1] | ||
| Position | Central defender[1] | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1969–1970 | Universitatea Craiova | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1970–1971 | Universitatea Craiova | 11 | (0) |
| 1971–1976 | Steaua București | 110 | (3) |
| 1976–1980 | Olimpia Satu Mare | 98 | (10) |
| 1981–1983 | Gloria Buzău | 4 | (0) |
| 1984–1986 | Electroputere Craiova[a] | 27 | (2) |
| Total | 250 | (15) | |
| International career | |||
| 1973–1974 | Romania U21 | 2 | (0) |
| 1971–1976 | Romania U23 | 8 | (0) |
| 1972 | Romania | 1 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Viorel Firu Smarandache (2 July 1953 – 15 December 2018) was a Romanian footballer who played as a defender.[2][3][4]
Smarandache was born on 2 July 1953 in Coșovenii de Sus, Romania and began playing junior-level football in 1969 at Universitatea Craiova.[1][2] He made his Divizia A debut on 20 September 1970 under coach Ștefan Coidum in "U" Craiova's 1–0 home victory against Jiul Petroșani.[1][2][5]
In 1971 he joined Steaua București where he stayed until 1976, making a partnership in the central defense with Ștefan Sameș.[1][2][3][4] Smarandache took part in the 1971–72 European Cup Winners' Cup campaign, playing all six games as the team reached the quarter-finals by getting past Hibernians and Barcelona, being eliminated after 1–1 on aggregate on the away goal rule by Bayern Munich.[1][2][3][4][6] In the 1975–76 season he helped the club win The Double, being used by coach Emerich Jenei in 15 league games.[1][7][8]
In 1976, Smarandache went to Olimpia Satu Mare in Divizia B, helping the team gain promotion to the first league at the end of the season.[1][2][3][4] In the 1977–78 season, he scored a personal record of six goals, and also Olimpia reached the 1978 Cupa României final where coach Gheorghe Staicu used him the entire match in the 3–1 loss to Universitatea Craiova.[1][2][4][9] On 7 October 1979, he made his last Divizia A appearance in Olimpia's 1–0 away loss to Politehnica Timișoara, totaling 188 matches with 11 goals in the competition.[1]
In 1981, Smarandache joined Divizia B club Gloria Buzău where he played rarely in his two-season spell.[1][2] In 1984 he signed with Electroputere Craiova in Divizia C, helping the side earn promotion to the second league in his first season.[1][2]
International career
Between 1971 and 1976, Smarandache made several appearances for Romania's under-21 and under-23 squads.[10]
He played one friendly game for Romania, being used the entire match by coach Gheorghe Ola in a 2–2 draw against Peru.[11]