Tromsø vs CFR Cluj match preview: can the Romanians pull off an incredible comeback? - 13.08.2026
The second leg of the UEFA Conference League third qualifying round between Tromsø and CFR Cluj has the air of a tie that was settled a week ago.
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And to be honest, after the first leg, it's hard to imagine a scenario where the Romanian side can turn this around. In Cluj-Napoca, the Norwegians delivered a true thrashing—5-0. By the 27th minute, Tromsø were already three goals up, and after the break, they added two more. Lars Olden Larsen bagged a brace, while Isak Dahlqvist netted a hat-trick.
Now CFR faces an almost impossible task. Even to take the tie to extra time, the Romanians need to win by at least five goals in Norway. To go through in regular time, they’d need a six-goal victory. Considering Tromsø completely dismantled their opponent in the first leg, this challenge looks nearly fantastical.
Meanwhile, the Norwegians head into the return leg in high spirits. After their win in Romania, the team hammered Aalesund 6-2 in the Norwegian league on August 2, then followed up with that historic European result. That’s 11 goals scored by Tromsø in their last two official matches.
What’s more, the hosts’ current form is truly impressive. Before this run, Tromsø navigated a tricky stretch: league wins over HamKam (4-1) and Vålerenga (4-0), and a Europa League exit to Hradec Králové (1-4 on aggregate). After dropping out of the Europa League, the Norwegians shifted focus to the Conference League and have looked extremely convincing so far.
For CFR Cluj, the situation couldn’t be more different. After confidently seeing off Alashkert in the second qualifying round—1-1 in Armenia and 3-0 at home—the Romanian side suffered a shock collapse at home to Tromsø. And it wasn’t just a bad night; it was an outright catastrophe for the team.
An added problem for CFR is the psychological factor. It’s one thing to lose 0-1 or 1-2 and head into the second leg hoping for a comeback.
It’s another thing entirely to ship five unanswered goals. Now, the Romanians will have to go on the attack from the first minute, while Tromsø will surely welcome the space behind Cluj’s defenders.
And here comes the main question: will the home side take any risks? I don’t think the Norwegians have any need to. Their advantage is so huge that it makes much more sense to play calmly, let CFR have the ball, and look for chances on the counter. CFR has no choice but to open up—there’s no point sitting back when you’re trailing 0-5 on aggregate.
Another interesting aspect: Tromsø already scored five away goals against CFR, so simply winning won’t be enough for the Romanians. They’ll need a near-perfect performance while hoping the Norwegians completely fall apart—a scenario that, to put it mildly, seems highly unlikely.
The match is set for August 13 at Romssa Arena in Tromsø. The first leg was the teams’ maiden head-to-head, and the Norwegians instantly seized a colossal advantage.
In my opinion, the real intrigue isn’t about who advances—that’s almost a foregone conclusion—but rather how the teams approach this second leg. CFR must attack and score, while Tromsø will be eager to thrill their fans with another emphatic win.
My prediction: Tromsø win
