Charles Petro named MOTM for Romanian leaders Botosani

Malawi national team star Charles Petro was in peak form on Monday, scoring his first goal of the 2025-26 season for Romanian SuperLiga (Liga I) leaders FC Botosani in a 2-0 victory over FC Hermannstadt.

After Ukrainian forward Mykola Kovtalyuk gave the hosts the lead in the 18th minute, it took less than ten minutes for the Malawian to get the final touch from a corner kick to double Botosani’s advantage. The club from Romania’s Moldavian region remain at the top of the table as surprise leaders following their sixth consecutive league victory.

Petro, now in his sixth season in Eastern Europe, is continuing to establish himself as an important part of the Botosani defense. Operating either as a central defender or a defensive midfielder like on Monday, the former Nyasa Big Bullets player was a defensive force along with scoring his first goal this season.

He won eight out of nine ground duels against Hermannstadt and was also very efficient on the ball from his deep-lying midfield position, completing 85% of his passes with a strong mix of short and long balls.

Charles Petro’s growth in Eastern Europe

The now 24-year-old made his first strides in European football with Moldovan giants Sheriff Tiraspol, joining during the 2020-21 season. He joined his current club during the 2022-23 season and has made over 65 appearances in all competitions for the club, helping the club to escape a relegation battle last season.

The Blantyre native also continues to play an important role for the Malawi national team, playing every minute in four matches for the Flames during their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.

Botosani will shift their attention to the Romanian Cup on Thursday when they host Farul Constanta to begin the group stage of the competition.