Ştiinţa Baia Mare saw off Unirea Dej 3:0 in a club friendly on Friday evening. The hosts secured a comfortable win at their home ground, closing a gap that had been visible in recent encounters. Both sides used the match to test their structures ahead of competitive fixtures.
Unirea Dej arrived with momentum from their 3:0 victory over Zalău the previous day. The away side had shown defensive solidity in that result, keeping a clean sheet. Ştiinţa Baia Mare, by contrast, had endured a difficult run against CSM Bucharest, losing four of their last five meetings.
The home side controlled much of the tempo from the opening whistle. They pressed high and forced Unirea Dej into errors in their own half. Three goals came through sustained pressure rather than individual brilliance, with the visitors struggling to find rhythm.
Unirea Dej's recent form had suggested improvement, but this fixture revealed vulnerabilities. The away team matched Štiinţa in possession but failed to convert chances. Their last clean sheet came against Zalău, and the standard here proved considerably higher.
The result gives Ştiinţa Baia Mare a confidence boost after their poor run against Bucharest opposition. Unirea Dej will need to address defensive organisation before their next competitive appearance. Both teams now look ahead to the campaign with different needs to address.
