Cluj Crusaders crush Mures Monsters in season opener in Romania

The defending champion Cluj Crusaders started off slow but picked up momentum in the second half and went to to crush the Mures Monsters 49-0 on the opening day of play in the Romanian Football League.

Playing at Iuliu Haţieganu Sports Park in Cluj in a downpour, the Crusaders held a slim 7-0 lead at halftime but exploded for 20 points in the third quarter and 22 in the fourth to earn their first win of the season.

However, it was the Mures Monsters who dominated the first half and the Crusaders were lucky to come away with the lead.

But Cluj’s veteran players and deep bench simply overwhelmed the Monsters in the second half.

The Crusaders defensive line, which had kept the Monsters out of the end zone in the first half, despite many trips to the red zone, simply wore down Mures’ offensive line in the second half.

The thin roster of players ultimately caused the most damage for the Monsters as they were unable to hold off the fresher Cluj players in the second half.

The Crusaders travel to Bucharest this weekend to face the Bucharest Rebels while the Bucharest Warriors and Timisoara 89ers square off at Stadionul Coresi Bukarest.

Source: First Down