FC Zimbru Chișinău is a Moldovan football club based in Chișinău, the capital of Moldova. They play in the Divizia Națională, the top division in Moldovan football.
Founded in the Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic in 1947, Zimbru entered the Soviet Top League in 1956 and spent 11 seasons in it before their last relegation in 1983. The team was the early force in the independent Moldovan National Division, winning all of the first five championships and eight of the first nine, but have not won since.
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 Dynamo, 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 1963 when they reached the quarter-finals of the Soviet Cup.
Ticket at the match Zimbru Chișinău - Tottenham Hotspur, in UEFA Cup 1999–00
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 Chisinau rivals Constructorul Chișinău in 1996–97, won eight of the first nine championships. Zimbru have also won the Moldovan Cup five times, including a double in 1997–98. The club have participated in the UEFA Cup (losing to Sparta Prague) and the Champions League (losing to PSV Eindhoven in 1999 and Sparta Prague in 2000). Zimbru's biggest rivalry is with Sheriff Tiraspol, who in the last twelve years have won eleven championships.
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
Zimbru Stadium
 |
| Full name |
Zimbru Stadium |
|---|
| Location |
Botanica, Chișinău |
|---|
| Owner |
Zimbru Chișinău |
|---|
| Capacity |
10,400[1] |
|---|
| Field size |
105 x 68 m |
|---|
| Surface |
Grass |
|---|
| Scoreboard |
1,600 lux |
|---|
| Construction |
|---|
| Built |
March 2004–May 2006 |
|---|
| Opened |
20 May 2006 |
|---|
| Construction cost |
$11 million |
|---|
| Architect |
Ceproserving SA |
|---|
| Structural engineer |
INCONEX-COM |
|---|
FC Zimbru's home ground is Zimbru Stadium, a football-specific stadium in Botanica district, of Chișinău. It was opened in 2006. Stadium has a natural grass playing surface, and its capacity is 10,400.
Rivalries
In the 1990s (first decade of Moldova's independence), Zimbru's rival was other team from Chișinău city, Constructorul Chișinău. Then Contructorul has dissolved. In 1997, in Tiraspol was founded a new team, Sheriff Tiraspol. In a few years Sheriff was promoted to the first league and became a force in Moldovan football. Considering the force 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. Further it was named "Derby of Moldova".
Other rivalry was established in the mid 2000s when Dacia Chișinău, another team form Chișinău became one of Moldovan top teams.
Also Zimbru has a rivalry with Olimpia Bălți.
IFFHS rankings
Club world ranking
These are the IFFHS club's points as of 1 March 2013:[2]
UEFA rankings
UEFA club ranking
This is the UEFA club's coefficient as of 16 December 2013:[3]
Honours
Moldova
- Champion (8): 1992, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–00
- Runner-up (5): 1996–97, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2005–06, 2006–07
- Third place (3): 2001–02, 2003–04, 2011–12
- Winner (6): 1997, 1998, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2014
- Runner-up (2): 1995, 2000
- Runner-up (3): 2003, 2004, 2007
Soviet Union
- 6th place: 1956
- Quarter-finals: 1963
International
- 1/16 of final: 1995–96
- Runner-up: 2000
League history
Timeline
Table
European record
- UEFA Champions League
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
- UEFA Cup
- UEFA Europa League
- Notes: Q1, Q2, Q3 - qualification rounds. PO - play-off round
Player of the year
Zimbru players who received the award Moldovan Footballer of the Year:
Current squad
- As of 25 February 2015[4]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Youth/reserves squad
- As of 13 November 2013[5]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. |
|
Position |
Player
|
| 1 |
 |
GK |
Victor Buga
|
| -- |
|
GK |
Emil Tîmbur
|
| -- |
|
DF |
Alexandru Belevschii
|
| -- |
|
DF |
Alexandru Bortă
|
| -- |
|
DF |
Roman Cojuhari
|
| -- |
|
DF |
Artur Focșa
|
| -- |
|
DF |
Alexandru Gridasov
|
| -- |
|
DF |
Dinu Graur
|
| -- |
|
DF |
Cristian Tabîrță
|
| -- |
|
DF |
Daniel Vlas
|
| -- |
 |
DF |
Luka Tatkhashvili
|
| -- |
|
MF |
Valeriu Calancea
|
| -- |
|
MF |
Octavian Ciuntu |
|
|
| No. |
|
Position |
Player
|
| -- |
|
MF |
Stefan Cozariuc
|
| -- |
|
MF |
Cristian Iriciuc
|
| -- |
|
MF |
Cătălin Lungu
|
| -- |
|
MF |
Oleg Lupușor
|
| -- |
|
MF |
Anatol Mihaliuc
|
| -- |
|
MF |
Vergil Olaru
|
| -- |
|
MF |
Corneliu Pavalachi
|
| -- |
|
MF |
Ion Rotaru
|
| -- |
|
MF |
Alexandru Starîș
|
| -- |
|
MF |
Andrei Trifan
|
| -- |
|
MF |
Veaceslav Zagaevschi
|
| -- |
|
FW |
Cristi Cucovei
|
| -- |
|
FW |
Ilie Dаmașcan |
|
Technical staff
As of 11 October 2013[6]
Club management
As of 11 October 2013[7]
- President: Nicolae Ciornîi
- General director: Igor Oprea
- Sportiv director: Alexei Popa
- Administrator:
Valeri Goroshynsky
- Manager of relations with supporters: ″Silenzio″
- Press officer: Sergiu Carauș
Notable players
Had international caps for their respective countries.
Managers
-
Sergey Eremin (1947–49)
- Peter Stupakov (1955–June 56)
- Victor Maslov (July 1956–Oct 56)
- Viktor Novikov (1957)
- Aleksandr Sevidov (1958–59)
- Vasili Sokolov (1960–63)
- Nikolai Glebov (1964)
- Boris Vladimir Tsybin (1965)
- Ivan Zolotukhin (1966)
- Constantin Reazanțev (1967–68)
- Vladimir Cinkler (1969–70)
- Vasiliy Sokolov (1971)
- Sergei Shaposhnikov (1972)
- Viaceslav Chiricenco (July 1972–Oct 72)
- Victor Korolkov (1973–74)
- Anatoli Polosin (1975–78)
- Veaceslav Chiricenco (1979)
- Vladimir Korolkov (1980–81)
- Leonid Shevchenko (1982–Aug 83)
- Anatolie Borș (Aug 1983–July 85)
- Anatoli Polosin (Aug 1985–Oct 85)
- Vladimir Cinkler (1986)
- Vladimir Yemets (1987)
-
Ahmad Alaskarov (1989–90)
- Pavel Cebanu (1990–91)
- Ion Caras (1991)
- Sergiu Sîrbu (Jan 1, 1992–Oct 15, 1993)
- Viaceslav Chiricenco (Nov 1993–June 94)
- Alexandru Spiridon (1994–Aug 96)
- Ion Caras (Aug 1996–June 97)
-
Semen Altman (1997–June 30, 1999)
- Oleksandr Skrypnyk (1999–00)
- Alexandru Spiridon (2000–01)
- Vladimir Veber (Aug 2001)
- Nicolae Mandricenco (Sept 2001–June 02)
-
Gabriel Stan (2002–03)
- Sergiu Sîrbu (Aug 15, 2003–Oct 15, 2003)
- Boris Tropaneț (Oct 2003)
- Gheorghe Niculescu (Nov 2003–May 05)
- Ivan Tabanov (April 2005–April 17, 2007)
- Alexandru Curtianu (caretaker) (May 2007)
- Oleksandr Sevidov (July 1, 2007–June 30, 2008)
- Ion Caras (July 2008–April 9)
- Ivan Tabanov (July 1, 2009 – May 24, 2011)
- Serghei Stroenco (July 1, 2011–June 10, 2012)
- Oleg Bejenari (June 10, 2012–July 6, 2012)
- S. Sîrbu (caretaker) (July 10, 2012–Oct 22, 2012)
- Oleg Fistican (Oct 2, 2012–Dec 1, 2012)
- Serghei Dubrovin (Jan 1, 2013–March 11, 2013)
- Serghei Cleșcenco (April 23, 2013–Sept 3, 2013)
-
Oleg Kubarev (Sept 2013–Dec 2014)
- Veaceslav Rusnac (Dec 2014–)
References
External links
Zimbru Chișinău seasons |
|---|
|
- 2007–08
- 2008–09
- 2009–10
- 2010–11
- 2011–12
- 2012–13
- 2013–14
|
|
Toluca 
Vojvodina Novi Sad
MŠK Žilina
West Bromwich Albion
Mainz 05
La Equidad
Recreativo do Libolo
Sport Huancayo 
HB Torshavn 
Nova Gorica
Zalgiris Vilnius
Vardar
Sergei Shishelov – 13
Beitar Jerusalem
Újpest
St Patrick's Athletic
PSV Eindhoven
KF Tirana
Sparta Prague
RAF Jelgava
Hajduk Split
Gaziantepspor
IFK Göteborg
Real Betis
Litex Lovech
Aris
Okzhetpes
Paços de Ferreira
Bangor City
Young Boys
SV Grödig
Ara Hakobyan