Hîncesti call it a day

FC Hîncesti have announced their resignation from the Moldovan First Division, citing financial problems. Official notification was sent to the Football Federation of Moldova (FMF) last night.

FMF confirmation
"We have received a fax from Hîncesti and we confirm the club has asked to pull out," said FMF general secretary Nicolae Cebotari. "We would like to reserve an opportunity to meet the chairman of the club, Mihail Usatii, and we expect the executive committee of the FMF to decide on the matter soon."

Unhappy season
Hîncesti's withdrawal is hardly a surprise, since they had been struggling throughout the first half of the championship. With the Divizia Nationala having entered its winter break, cash-strapped Hîncesti had failed to collect a single point. The nearest they came to breaking their duck was in their final game of the autumn season when they held reigning champions FC Sheriff Tiraspol for 96 minutes before conceding a goal seconds before the final whistle.

Sad admission
"Unfortunately, neither sponsors or potential buyers are interested in the club," said club chairman Usatii. "If there were a buyer, he would want a club which could instantly compete for a place in Europe, which is not the case with us."

Minimal impact
The FMF has confirmed that Hîncesti's withdrawal will not cause any dramatic change to the league table in Moldova. Since the team had collected no points, their departure will have little impact on the battles for the title and continued survival in the Moldovan top flight.