Zalău defeated Știința Baia Mare 3:0 in a club friendly match on 3 October 2026. The result came just days after the sides met in another fixture, with the hosts now extending their advantage over their opponents. This was a preparatory encounter rather than a competitive fixture, so the league table remained untouched by the outcome.
The visitors arrived in poor form, having lost their previous two matches: a 1:3 defeat to Unirea Dej on 2 October and a 0:3 loss to Craiova on 1 October. Zalău, by contrast, had bounced back from a heavy 0:3 setback against Craiova with a 3:2 victory over Unirea Dej the day before. To be fair, momentum had shifted toward the home side heading into this encounter.
The match itself produced a clean sheet for Zalău and three goals without reply. There were no complications on the pitch — no dismissals, no substitutions worth noting in the available data. The visitors never really got going, unable to break down the home defence or create meaningful chances.
Both teams have now played five matches in their recent records, with Zalău winning three and Știința Baia Mare winning just one. The Romanian clubs appear to be using friendlies to assess options ahead of whatever lies next in their schedule. And here's the thing about friendlies — they rarely tell the whole story.
The final scoreline of 3:0 gave Zalău a comfortable win and a positive note after their earlier defeats. For Știința Baia Mare, the result added to a run of three losses in four matches. The gap between the two sides seems to be widening, though this was only a friendly and such margins can spring a surprise when it matters.
