Moldova round-up: Sheriff take title

Double chance 
A 17th victory in 22 games, the result also extended their unbeaten run to 36 matches. Mihai Stoichita's team, who won their first championship last year, can now clinch a league and cup double when they take on Nistru in the Moldovan Cup final on 22 May.

Romanian in paradise 
Stoichita, the Romanian who took charge at the Tiraspol City stadium in March, said: "People tried to talk me out of going to Moldova, but I do not regret it. I feel like I'm in paradise. Now we are looking forward to the cup final and the qualifying stages of the UEFA Champions League." Stoichita also led FC Steaua Bucuresti to the Romanian title in 1997/98.

Icing the title cake 
Sheriff produced a polished display in Otaci, going ahead on 17 minutes through Vaja Tarhnisvili. However, they had to wait until the 75th minute before Andriy Nesteruk made the game safe with a second goal. Stanislav Ivanov iced the cake in stoppage time with a third.

Zimbru downed
Meanwhile, second-placed Zimbru were undone by local rivals FC Agro Chisinau, Serghei Baran's 79th-minute strike dividing the sides at the Speia stadium. The defeat left them to concentrate on securing the runners-up spot ahead of Nistru and a UEFA Cup place.

Constructorul rout 
Elsewhere, FC Constructorul-93 Chisinau thrashed bottom club FC Happy End Camenca 5-0. Mihai Ionescu, Viorel Dinu, Radu Talpa, Serghei Dadu and Joshua Onyeachonam were the men on target at the Republican stadium.

Tiligul held 
FC Tiligul Tiraspol missed the chance to move out of the bottom two after drawing 1-1 at home to fellow strugglers FC Hincesti. The visitors struck first through Grigorii Badea on 56 minutes but Sergei Pogreban restored parity 20 minutes later.