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FC Zimbru Chișinău

FC Zimbru Chișinău

Fotbal Club Zimbru is a professional football club based in Chișinău, Moldova, that competes in the Divizia Națională, the highest tier of Moldovan football.[1]

Founded in the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1947, Zimbru entered the Soviet Top League in 1956 and participated in 11 seasons before their last relegation in 1983. After the independence of Moldova in 1991, the team established itself as an early force in the country, winning all of the first five national championships and eight of the first nine, but have not won since. Zimbru have also won six Moldovan Cups and one Moldovan Super Cup.

Galben-verzii play their home matches at the 10,400-seater Zimbru Stadium.

Zimbru ChișinăuZimbru Stadium
Full nameFotbal Club Zimbru Chișinău
Nickname(s)Galben-verzii (The Yellow-Greens)
Founded16 May 1947 (1947-05-16)
GroundZimbru Stadium
Capacity10,400
PresidentNicolae Ciornîi
Head CoachVladimir Aga
LeagueDivizia Națională
20185th
WebsiteClub website [16]
Home colours
Away colours
Zimbru Stadium.JPG
Full nameZimbru Stadium
LocationBotanica, Chișinău
OwnerZimbru Chișinău
Capacity10,400[3]
Field size105 x 68 m
SurfaceGrass
Scoreboard1,600 lux
Construction
BuiltMarch 2004 – May 2006
Opened20 May 2006
Construction cost$11 million
ArchitectCeproserving SA
Structural engineerINCONEX-COM

History

Zimbru Chișinău was formed in 1947 in the Moldovan Soviet Republic (present day Republic of Moldova). 'Zimbru' is a Romanian word for a form of European bison, but the club also previously functioned under names such as Dinamo, Burevestnik, Moldova, Avântul, and Nistru. The Soviet Era was spent mostly in Class B of the regional league until eventual promotion to Class A. The club then flitted between Class A and Class B as well as spending time in the Soviet Top League and First League. In total, Zimbru spent 11 seasons in the Top League between 1956 and 1983. Zimbru had their biggest success in 1956 when they finished in 6th place out of 12 in the Soviet Top League and in 1963 when they reached the quarter-finals of the Soviet Cup.[2] Zimbru's fortunes changed after the fall of the USSR and the establishment of the Republic of Moldova. The club won all five of the initial seasons of the Moldovan National Division (1992–96), and apart from finishing as runners-up to Chișinău rivals Constructorul Chișinău in 1996–97, won eight of the first nine championships. Zimbru have also won the Moldovan Cup six times, including a double in 1997–98 and the Moldovan Super Cup once.

Crest and colours

Since its foundation, Zimbru's colours always was yellow and green. Throughout history, Zimbru Chișinău had many logos. Traditional colours were always present on club crests.

Stadium

FC Zimbru's home ground is Zimbru Stadium, a football-specific stadium in Botanica sector of Chișinău. It was opened in 2006. The stadium has a natural grass playing surface, and its capacity is 10,400.

Rivalries

In the 1990s (the first decade of Moldova's independence), Zimbru's rival was the other team from Chișinău, Constructorul Chișinău. Then Contructorul was dissolved. In 1997, a new team was founded in Tiraspol, Sheriff Tiraspol. In a few years, Sheriff was promoted to the first league and became a force in Moldovan football. Considering the strength of team and the tensions between Moldovans and separatist Transnistrians, the match between Zimbru and Sheriff became a derby, the most important match in country. Thus, it has been named "Derby of Moldova", being labelled even as "Moldovan El Clasico" (Romanian: El Clasico de Moldova).[4][5] Another rivalry was established in the mid 2000s when Dacia Chișinău, another team from Chișinău, became one of Moldova's top teams. The match between them is known as "The Derby of the capital" (Romanian: Derbyul capitalei).[6]

Current squad

As of 24 September 2019[7][8]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.PositionPlayer
1MoldovaGKDenis Guțul
12MoldovaGKSilviu Șmalenea
25UkraineGKMaksym Kovalov

2MoldovaDFDenis Furtună
3MoldovaDFSandu Mateescu
4MoldovaDFIgor Arhirii
5MoldovaDFAnatolie Prepeliță
14MoldovaDFTudor Iapără
27MoldovaDFAlexei Ciopa
88MoldovaDFSerafim Cojocari
MoldovaDFMihai Dolghi
MoldovaDFAlexandr Vacarciuc

6MoldovaMFVictor Bogaciuc
7MoldovaMFNichita Iurașco
8MoldovaMFArtur Pătraș
10MoldovaMFDan Pîslă
No.PositionPlayer
11MoldovaMFEugen Sidorenco
17MoldovaMFVadim Calugher
20MoldovaMFCristian Nagornîi
22MoldovaMFIgor Țîgîrlaș
26MoldovaMFIon Postica
33JapanMFDaisuke Araki
80MoldovaMFAlexandru Graur
99MoldovaMFRadu Scoarță
MoldovaMFGheorghe Brînzaniuc

9MoldovaFWArtur Barabaș
19MoldovaFWAndrei Bursuc
21MoldovaFWPetru Neagu
23MoldovaFWNichita Murovanîi
24MoldovaFWMaxim Şoimu
34MaliFWBoubacar Traoré

Honours

Moldova

  • Divizia Națională / Liga Națională / Superliga

  • Cupa Moldovei

Winners (6): 1996–97, 1997–98, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2006–07,2013–14Runners-up (3): *1994–95, 1999–00,2017–18
  • Supercupa Moldovei

Winners (1):2014Runners-up (3): 2003, 2004, 2007

Soviet Union

  • Soviet First League

Winners (1): 1955.Runners-up (2): 1973, 1982.
  • Soviet Second League

Winners (2):1987,1988.

Player of the year

Zimbru players who received the award Moldovan Footballer of the Year:

YearWinner
1992MoldovaAlexandru Spiridon
1993MoldovaAlexandru Curtianu
1994MoldovaSerghei Cleșcenco
1995MoldovaIon Testemițanu
1997MoldovaIon Testemițanu
1999MoldovaSergiu Epureanu
2002MoldovaBoris Cebotari

League history

Table

SeasonDiv.Pos.Pl.WDLGSGAPCupEuropeTop scorer (league)
1992Divizia Națională12215524015351/4MoldovaAlexandru Spiridon
MoldovaIurie Miterev – 8
1992–9313022626617501/8MoldovaAlexandru Spiridon – 12
1993–9413025238622521/2UCLPRMoldovaSerghei Cleșcenco – 14
1994–951262141691067RUUCPRMoldovaSerghei Cleșcenco – 11
1995–96130263111011811/4UCR2MoldovaVladislav Gavriliuc – 34
1996–9723022441122170WUCPRMoldovaIurie Miterev – 34
1997–98126223175869WCWCQRMoldovaSerghei Cleșcenco – 25
1998–991261871439611/4UCLQ1MoldovaVladislav Gavriliuc – 10
1999–001362574782182RUUCL
UC
Q3
R1
MoldovaVictor Berco – 15
2000–0122820624615661/2UCL
UC
Q3
R1
MoldovaIurie Miterev – 8
2001–02328121065220461/2UCQRMoldovaVictor Berco – 12
2002–032241554472050WUCR1UzbekistanVladimir Shishelov – 13
2003–043281477402349WUCR1UzbekistanVladimir Shishelov – 15
2004–0552812792915431/4MoldovaSergiu Chirilov – 7
2005–0622815854720531/2MoldovaSergiu Chirilov – 11
2006–072362187632371WUCQ2RussiaAlexei Zhdanov – 14
2007–08530131344321521/2UCQ1RussiaAlexei Zhdanov – 12
2008–09430137104230461/2MoldovaOleg Andronic – 16
2009–1043317884729591/4UELQ2MoldovaAndrei Secrieru – 7
2010–11439221075620761/8MoldovaOleg Andronic – 9
2011–12333171064724611/4MoldovaOleg Molla – 14
2012–136331210115338461/4UELQ2MoldovaOleg Molla – 7
2013–144331878562461WRussiaSergey Tsyganov – 13
2014–1562476112319271/4UELPOMoldovaAlexandru Dedov – 4
2015–1632715484226491/4PortugalRui Miguel – 9
2016–17530137103229461/2UELQ2PortugalHugo Neto – 6
2017818549172119RUBrazilJean Theodoro – 5
201852899102837361/2MoldovaIlie Damașcan
MoldovaIon Nicolaescu – 5

European record

SeasonRoundOpponentsHome legAway legAggregate
1993–94PRIsraelBeitar Jerusalem1–10–21–3
1998–99Q1HungaryÚjpest1–01–32–3
1999–00Q1Republic of IrelandSt Patrick's Athletic5–05–010–0
Q2Georgia (country)Dinamo Tbilisi2–01–23–2
Q3NetherlandsPSV Eindhoven0–00–20–2
2000–01Q1AlbaniaKF Tirana3–23–26–4
Q2SloveniaMaribor2–00–12–1
Q3Czech RepublicSparta Prague0–10–10–2
SeasonRoundOpponentsHome legAway legAggregate
1997–98QRUkraineShakhtar Donetsk1–10–31–4
SeasonRoundOpponentsHome legAway legAggregate
1994–95PRHungaryBudapest Honvéd0–11–41–5
1995–96PRIsraelHapoel Tel Aviv2–00–02–0
R1LatviaRAF Jelgava1–02–13–1
R2Czech RepublicSparta Prague0–23–43–6
1996–97PRCroatiaHajduk Split0–41–21–6
1999–00R1EnglandTottenham Hotspur0–00–30–3
2000–01R1GermanyHertha BSC1–20–21–4
2001–02QRTurkeyGaziantepspor0–01–41–4
2002–03QRSwedenIFK Göteborg3–12–25–3
R1SpainReal Betis0–21–21–4
2003–04QRBulgariaLitex Lovech2–00–02–0
R1GreeceAris1–11–22–3
2006–07Q1AzerbaijanQarabağ1–12–1 (aet)3–2
Q2UkraineMetalurh Zaporizhya0–00–30–3
2007–08Q1SlovakiaArtmedia Bratislava2–21–13–3 (a)
SeasonRoundOpponentsHome legAway legAggregate
2009–10Q1KazakhstanOkzhetpes1–22–03–2
Q2PortugalPaços de Ferreira0–00–10–1
2012–13Q1WalesBangor City2–10–02–1
Q2SwitzerlandYoung Boys1–0 (aet)0–11–1 (1–4 pen.)
2014–15Q1Republic of MacedoniaFK Shkëndija2–01–23–2
Q2BulgariaCSKA Sofia0–01–11–1 (a)
Q3AustriaSV Grödig0–12–12–2 (a)
POGreecePAOK1–00–41–4
2016–17Q1Georgia (country)Chikhura Sachkhere0–13–23–3 (a)
Q2TurkeyOsmanlıspor2–20–52–7
*Notes: PR – preliminary round. QR – qualifying round. R1 – First round. R2 – Second round
Q1, Q2, Q3 – qualifying rounds. PO – play-off round*.

Club officials

Former players

Former managers

References

[1]
Citation Linkwww.fmf.md"Profile".fmf.md
Sep 29, 2019, 11:58 PM
[2]
Citation Linkzimbru.md"Team history".zimbru.md
Sep 29, 2019, 11:58 PM
[3]
Citation Linkwww.uefa.com"Stadium capacity" (PDF).uefa.com
Sep 29, 2019, 11:58 PM
[4]
Citation Linkwww.publika.md"El clasico de Moldova".publika.md
Sep 29, 2019, 11:58 PM
[5]
Citation Linkwww.prime.md"El clasico".prime.md
Sep 29, 2019, 11:58 PM
[6]
Citation Linkwww.publika.md"Derbyul capitalei".publika.md
Sep 29, 2019, 11:58 PM
[7]
Citation Linkzimbru.md"Zimbru squad". zimbru.md.
Sep 29, 2019, 11:58 PM
[8]
Citation Linkint.soccerway.com"FC Zimbru Chișinău". soccerway.com. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
Sep 29, 2019, 11:58 PM
[9]
Citation Linkzimbru.md"Technical staff". zimbru.md.
Sep 29, 2019, 11:58 PM
[10]
Citation Linkzimbru.md"Club management". zimbru.md.
Sep 29, 2019, 11:58 PM
[11]
Citation Linkwww.zimbru.mdOfficial website
Sep 29, 2019, 11:58 PM
[12]
Citation Linkint.soccerway.comProfile at soccerway.com
Sep 29, 2019, 11:58 PM
[13]
Citation Linkwww.weltfussballarchiv.comZimbru Chișinău
Sep 29, 2019, 11:58 PM
[14]
Citation Linkwww.oasteafiara.netZimbru Chișinău supporters website – ”OASTEA FIARĂ”
Sep 29, 2019, 11:58 PM
[15]
Citation Linkfootballfacts.ruProfile at footballfacts.ru
Sep 29, 2019, 11:58 PM
[16]
Citation Linkwww.zimbru.mdClub website
Sep 29, 2019, 11:58 PM
[17]
Citation Linkwww.fmf.md"Profile"
Sep 29, 2019, 11:58 PM
[18]
Citation Linkzimbru.md"Team history"
Sep 29, 2019, 11:58 PM
[19]
Citation Linkwww.uefa.com"Stadium capacity"
Sep 29, 2019, 11:58 PM
[20]
Citation Linkwww.publika.md"El clasico de Moldova"
Sep 29, 2019, 11:58 PM