The1988 Cupa României Final was the 50th final ofRomania's most prestigiousfootball cup competition. The match was betweenSteaua București andDinamo București, and was won by Steaua București. It was the club's 16th cup, but later in 1990 Steaua gave back the trophy because it was won unfairly.[1][2]
The goal scored byBalint wasn't validated because of offside, at the signaling of assistant referee George Ionescu. Steaua retired from the field after the command ofValentin Ceaușescu, the son of presidentNicolae Ceaușescu, but theRomanian Football Federation offered the Cup to Steaua București. In 1990, Steaua renounced the trophy because it was won unjustly.
The match was interrupted in 90th minute at the score 1–1, because the goal scored by Steaua was cancelled for the offside. In the end, the final was 2–1 for Steaua, but the team renounced the trophy.