Stelian Anghel (7 March 1952 â 23 November 2009) was a Romanian former footballer who played as a forward. He was also president at Politehnica TimiÃÂoara.
Anghel was born on 7 March 1952 in BraÃÂov, Romania and began playing junior-level football in 1967 at local club Steagul RoÃÂu. In 1971 he moved to neighboring club Metrom, where he started playing senior level football in Divizia C, helping it finish the season in first place, earning promotion to the second league. Shortly afterwards, he returned to Steagul where on 20 August 1972 he made his Divizia A debut under coach Nicolae Proca in a 0âÂÂ0 draw against CSM ReÃÂiÃÂa. In the following season he helped the team finish in third place.
In 1974, Anghel went to play for Politehnica TimiÃÂoara, his first performance being a third place in the 1977âÂÂ78 season. Afterwards he made his debut in European competitions, playing all four games in the 1978âÂÂ79 UEFA Cup campaign as they eliminated MTK Hungária in the first round, being eliminated by Budapest Honved in the following one. Anghel won the only trophy of his career, the 1979âÂÂ80 Cupa României, after coach Ion Ionescu used him the entire match in the 2âÂÂ1 win over Steaua BucureÃÂti in the final. In the same season he scored a personal record of 14 goals in the league. He then helped the club eliminate Celtic in the first round of the 1980âÂÂ81 European Cup Winners' Cup. Anghel scored his first goal in European competitions in a 2âÂÂ0 win over Lokomotive Leipzig in the preliminary round of the 1981âÂÂ82 European Cup Winners' Cup, but the qualification was lost as they were defeated with 5âÂÂ0 in the second leg. In the following years, he helped Poli reach two more Cupa României finals, both lost to Universitatea Craiova, Anghel appearing only in the one in 1983, when coach Emerich Dembrovschi used him the entire match in the 2âÂÂ1 defeat. At the end of the 1982âÂÂ83 season, the club was relegated to Divizia B, but he stayed with Politehnica, helping them get promoted back after one year. He made his last Divizia A appearance on 5 September 1984 in a 2âÂÂ0 away loss to Corvinul Hunedoara, totaling 287 appearances with 75 goals in the competition and 10 matches with one goal in European competitions. Among these goals, three were scored in the West derby against UTA Arad, contributing to two victories and one draw for Politehnica. Anghel ended his career in 1986, after playing for UM TimiÃÂoara and Minerul BocÃÂa in the Romanian lower leagues.
Anghel played two games for Romania, making his debut on 12 May 1976 under coach ÃÂtefan Kovács in a 1âÂÂ0 away loss to Bulgaria in the 1973âÂÂ76 Balkan Cup. His second game was a friendly that ended in a 2âÂÂ2 draw against Iran.
After he ended his career, Anghel was president at Politehnica TimiÃÂoara, and his biggest achievement was eliminating Atlético Madrid in the first round of the 1990âÂÂ91 UEFA Cup.
He died on 23 November 2009 at age 57.
Metrom BraÃÂov
Politehnica TimiÃÂoara