Vasile Sfetcu (10 May 1937 - 16 September 2016) was a Romanian football goalkeeper and manager.
Sfetcu was born on 10 May 1937 in PloieÃÂti, Romania and began playing junior-level football in 1951 at local club Metalul. Afterwards he joined neighboring club Petrolul where he made his Divizia A debut on 24 November 1954 under coach Ilie Oanàin a 3âÂÂ1 away loss to Metalul Hunedoara. Subsequently, he went to play one season for Metalul 1 Mai PloieÃÂti in Divizia B. Sfetcu returned to Petrolul where he won two consecutive Divizia A titles in the 1957âÂÂ58 and 1958âÂÂ59 seasons. He was used by coach Oanàin 17 matches in the first season and in 20 in the second one. Sfetcu was a starter under Oanàin the 6âÂÂ1 victory against Siderurgistul GalaÃÂi in the 1963 Cupa României final until he was replaced by Mihai Ionescu in the 85th minute. He played seven matches in the 1962âÂÂ63 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, the team reaching the quarter-finals where they were defeated with 2âÂÂ1 on aggregate by Ferencváros. In the 1965âÂÂ66 season he won another title with The Yellow Wolves, being used by coach Constantin CernÃÂianu in five games. He made his last Divizia A appearance on 26 March 1969 in Petrolul's 2âÂÂ0 away loss to UTA Arad, totaling 161 matches in the competition and 14 appearances in European competitions (including seven games in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup). After three more seasons spent at Metalul Plopeni in the Romanian lower leagues, Sfetcu retired from his playing career.
Sfetcu played three games for Romania, making his debut on 30 September 1962 when coach Constantin TeaÃÂcàsent him in the 80th minute to replace Gheorghe Dungu in a 4âÂÂ0 friendly victory against Morocco. His second game was a 6âÂÂ0 away loss against Spain in the 1964 European Nations' Cup qualifiers. Sfetcu's last appearance was another friendly against Morocco which took place on 23 December 1962 and it ended with a 3âÂÂ1 away loss, coach Silviu PloeÃÂteanu sending him in the 40th minute to replace Ion Voinescu.
Sfetcu coached the junior teams of Petrolul PloieÃÂti and other clubs from the county. Afterwards he settled in ConstanÃÂa, where he trained several other teams from the area: IMU Medgidia, ÃÂoimii CernavodÃÂ and CFR ConstanÃÂa.
Sfetcu died on 16 September 2016 in ConstanÃÂa at age 79.
Petrolul PloieÃÂti
Metalul Plopeni