AFC Voința Lupac

Asociația Fotbal Club Voința Lupac, also known as Voința Lupac, is a Romanian football club based in Lupac, Caraș-Severin County, currently playing in Liga III, the third tier of the Romanian football league system, following their promotion from the Liga IV – Caraș-Severin County in the 2020–21 season. The players are nicknamed the Croats, because Lupac commune was mostly made up of Krashovani Croats.

Voința Lupac

Full name	Asociația Fotbal Club Voința Lupac
Nickname(s)	Croații (The Croats)
Short name	Lupac
Founded	1982; 41 years ago (1982) as Sporting Lupac
Ground	Voința
Capacity	350
Owner	Lupac Commune
Chairman	Marian Zuza
Manager	Mircea Manu
League	Liga III
2022–23	Liga III, Seria VII, 5th
Home colours Away colours

History

The croats won the Caraș-Severin County Championship for the first time in the 2014–15 season,^[1] but lost the promotion play-off in Liga III with ASU Politehnica Timișoara, the winner of Liga IV – Timiș County after 1–5 at Timișoara and 2–1 at Lupac.^[2][3]

Voința managed to win again the Liga IV – Caraș-Severin County in the 2017–18 season^[4] and faced in the promotion play-off, the winner of Liga IV – Hunedoara County, CS Hunedoara, but despite a 1–0 away win in the first leg, Voința lost the promotion after an 1–2 defeat in the second leg in front of their own supporters.^[5][6]

At the end of 2018–19 season, Voința Lupac, led by Boșco Vișatovici, crowned as county champion of Liga IV – Caraș-Severin County and qualified for the promotion play-off in Liga III,^[7][8][9] but lost (0–2 at home and 1–6 away) in front of Fortuna Becicherecu Mic, the winner of Liga IV – Timiș County.^[10][11]

Voința promoted for the first time in its history to Liga III at the end of the 2020–21 season. Coached by Boșco Vișatovici, the croats won the Liga IV – Caraș-Severin County and the promotion play-off against Universitatea Craiova II (0–1 at Craiova and 3–0 at Lupac).^[12]

As newly promoted in the 2021–22 Liga III, Voința Lupac reached the play-off in the seventh series and finished in 3rd place, ahead of Pandurii Târgu Jiu and behind CSM Reșita and CSM Deva who finished in the first two places. The squad of the first season in the third league included players like: Cătălin Căpățână, Dragoș Trașcă, Daniel Petruț, Dragoș Circa, Cristian Danci, Milorad Banac, Daniel Vădrariu, Andrei Vaștag, Alexandru Avramovici, Alexandru Giurică, Flavius Lucica, Bogdan Bărbulescu, Robert Dalea, Takenori Kawagoe, Andrea Săndescu, Denis Jivan, Denis Arjocan, Flavius Cega, Vichente Marcu, Emanuel Jinga, Cristian Popa, Demetris Cristodulo among others.

Lucian Dobre was appointed as the new head coach for 2022–23 season.^[13]

Honours

Liga IV – Caraș-Severin County

• Winners (4): 2014–15, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2020–21
• Runners-up (5): 2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2015–16, 2016–17

Players

First team squad

As of 25 January 2022

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK   ROU Marius Roșu 3 DF   ROU Milorad Banac 4 DF   ROU Flavius Cega 6 DF   ROU Andrea Săndulescu (Vice-Captain) 7 MF   ROU Flavius Lucică 8 MF   ROU Ovidiu Dan 9 FW   ROU Alexandru Caia 10 MF   ROU Emanuel Jinga 13 MF   ROU Cristian Danci (Captain)

No. Pos. Nation Player 14 MF   ROU Marcus Podină 15 DF   ROU Denis Secoșan 16 MF   ROU Liviu Străin 17 DF   ROU Robert Dalea 19 FW   ROU Samuel Urdea 20 MF   JPN Takenori Kawagoe 21 FW   SEN Amara Diaby 23 MF   ROU Alexandru Giurică 24 MF   ROU Vichente Marcu 25 MF   ROU Alexandru Cîrlugea 33 GK   ROU Daniel Petruț — GK   ROU Paul Mereu (on loan from Reșița)

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player

No. Pos. Nation Player

Club officials

Board of directors Role Name Owner   Lupac Commune President   Marian Zuza

Current technical staff Role Name Manager   Mircea Manu Assistant Managers   Cristian Danci   Andrei Vaștag Goalkeeping Coach   George Chitucea

League history

Season Tier Division Place Cupa României 2023–24 3 Liga III (Seria VII) TBD 2022–23 3 Liga III (Seria VII) 5th

Season Tier Division Place Cupa României 2021–22 3 Liga III (Seria VII) 3rd 2020–21 4 Liga IV (CS) 1st (C, P)

References

1. "Voința Lupac este campioana județului Caraș-Severin la fotbal" [Voința Lupac is the champion of Caraș-Severin county in football]. radioresita.ro. from the original on 13 December 2020. Retrieved 6 September 2022.(in Romanian)
2. "ASU Poli a spart voința „croaților". Echipa din Lupac a fost îngenuncheată la Timișoara în prima manșă a barajului" [ASU Poli broke the will of the "Croats". The team from Lupac was kneel at Timișoara in the first leg of the play-off]. liga2.prosport.ro. Retrieved 6 September 2022.(in Romanian)
3. "Voința Lupac a câștigat returul cu ASU Politehnica dar nu a reușit să promoveze în Liga a treia de fotbal" [Voința Lupac won the return match with ASU Politehnica but failed to promote to the Third Football League]. radioresita.ro. from the original on 7 September 2022. Retrieved 6 September 2022.(in Romanian)
4. "Voința Lupac a câștigat ediția 2017/2018 a Ligii 4" [Voința Lupac won the 2017/2018 edition of Liga 4]. frf.ro. from the original on 13 December 2020. Retrieved 6 September 2022.(in Romanian)
5. "CS Hunedoara a pierdut acasă în turul barajului pentru Liga a III-a" [CS Hunedoara lost at home in the first round of the play-off for the League III]. servuspress.ro. Retrieved 6 September 2022.(in Romanian)
6. "CS Hunedoara promovează în Liga a III-a după victoria cu 2-1 la Voința Lupac" [CS Hunedoara is promoted to the 3rd League after the 2-1 victory at Voința Lupac]. mesagerulhunedorean.ro. from the original on 10 July 2021. Retrieved 6 September 2022.(in Romanian)
7. "Final de campionat și în Liga a IV-a Caraș-Severin: Voința Lupac, din nou pe primul loc!" [Championship final in Liga IV Caraș-Severin: Voința Lupac, again in first place!]. reper24.ro. from the original on 13 December 2020. Retrieved 6 September 2022.(in Romanian)
8. "Liga a IV-a, sezon 2018/2019" [Liga a IV-a, 2018/2019 season]. frf-ajf.ro. from the original on 18 July 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2021.(in Romanian)
9. "Voința Lupac a cucerit cupa și campionatul" [Voința Lupac won the cup and the championship]. caon.ro. from the original on 17 June 2019. Retrieved 16 July 2021.(in Romanian)
10. "Voința Lupac – Fortuna Becicherecu Mic 0-2 (0-1)". sporttim.ro. from the original on 6 September 2022. Retrieved 6 September 2022.(in Romanian)
11. "Fortuna Becicherecu Mic – Voința Lupac 6-1 (2-0)". sporttim.ro. from the original on 15 July 2021. Retrieved 6 September 2022.(in Romanian)
12. "Voința Lupac trece de Craiova 2 și urcă în Liga 3" [Voința Lupac passes Craiova 2 and climbs to League 3]. caon.ro. from the original on 24 May 2021. Retrieved 6 September 2022.(in Romanian)
13. "Lucian Dobre a semnat cu AFC Voința Lupac" [Lucian Dobre signed with AFC Voința Lupac]. caon.ro. from the original on 8 September 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2022.(in Romanian)

External links

• AFC Voința Lupac on Facebook
• FRF-AJF Profile