Sheriff capture tenth straight title

FC Sheriff are toasting their tenth consecutive Moldovan league title after a 1-0 victory at FC Academia UTM Chişinău left them 17 points clear of FC Iskra-Stali with four games remaining.

A draw would have sufficed for the Tiraspol side, but they retained the crown in style, Aleksandr Erokhin registering ten minutes into the second half after connecting with Vladimir Volkov's cross. "I'm glad that I was lucky enough to score in a crucial match like this again," said the 20-year-old match-winner, who also found the target in the game that clinched the title for Sheriff last season. "It's become quite a good tradition for the team."

"It's always pleasant to win, whether it's the first, tenth or 20th title," added Sheriff stalwart Vazha Tarkhnishvili, who has played his part in all ten of Sheriff's triumphs. "You can't get fed up with titles. After winning the league, we need to concentrate on claiming the Moldovan Cup [against FC Dacia Chişinău on 30 May]."

While the 38-year-old was celebrating reaching double figures, it was the first title for new coach Andrey Sosnitski, whose side can now look forward to the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round next term. "Obviously I'm enjoying it," he said. "First of all, I'm glad for the guys. I want to thank everyone who's connected to this success, from club president Victor Gusan to our supporters."