UTA Arad saw off Chikserheda 5-1 in the eighth round of League I at Stadionul Francisc von Neumann on Friday evening. The hosts controlled proceedings from the opening whistle and never looked back, extending their unbeaten run to eight matches. To be fair, the visitors had nothing to lose and played with more freedom than their league position suggested.
Marius Coman opened the scoring in the 32nd minute, finishing calmly after a well-worked move. Hakim Abdallah doubled the advantage just before halftime, finding space in the box to slot home. By then, Chikserheda were already chasing the game and struggling to contain Arad's movement in midfield.
The second half saw both sides make changes, with Din Alomerovic coming off for Denis Alberto Taroi in the 58th minute. Marinos Tzionis added a third for Arad in the 63rd, followed by Márton Eppel's goal in the 65th. Sota Mino made it four in the 81st, and Andrea Padula rounded off the scoring with a late strike.
Arad dominated possession at 53 per cent and created six big chances compared to the visitors' single opportunity. They registered 12 shots on target against four for Chikserheda, though only six found the back of the net. The visitors managed more long passes but lacked penetration in the final third.
The result leaves UTA Arad in 14th place with nine points from eight games, while Chikserheda remain bottom of the table on a single point. We had backed the hosts to win, and that prediction held up. The win keeps them in contention for a mid-table finish, though there is unrest in the dressing room over consistency.
