# 2022–23 Moldovan Cup

The 2022–23 Moldovan Cup (Romanian: Cupa Moldovei) was the 32nd season of the annual Moldovan football cup competition. The competition started on 17 August 2022 with the preliminary round and concluded with the final on 28 May 2023.

## Format and Schedule

In the preliminary round and the first two rounds proper ties are formed on a geographical basis and there is no draw.
| Round | Match dates | Fixtures | Clubs |
| Preliminary round | 17 August 2022 | 4 | 44 → 40 |
| First round | 30–31 August 2022, 7 September 2022 | 16 | 40 → 24 |
| Second round | 14 September 2022 | 8 | 24 → 16 |
| Round of 16 | 18–19 October 2022 | 8 | 16 → 8 |
| Quarter-finals | 4–5 March 2023 (1st leg) 5–6 April 2023 (2nd leg) | 8 | 8 → 4 |
| Semi-finals | 26 April 2023 (1st leg) 3 May 2023 (2nd leg) | 4 | 4 → 2 |
| Final | 28 May 2023 | 1 | 2 → 1 |

## Participating clubs

The following teams qualified for the competition:
| Super Liga the 8 teams of the 2022–23 season | Liga 1 the 11 non-reserve teams of the 2022–23 season | Liga 2 the 25 non-reserve teams of the 2022–23 season |
| Sheriff Tiraspol $^{titleholder}$ Petrocub Hîncești Milsami Orhei Sfîntul Gheorghe Bălți Dinamo-Auto Zimbru Chișinău Dacia Buiucani | Florești Victoria Chișinău Spartanii Selemet Speranis Nisporeni Olimp Comrat Sucleia FCM Ungheni Real Succes Speranța Drochia Fălești Văsieni | Iskra Rîbnița Sîngerei Stăuceni Edineț Cricova Cruiz Plus Slobozia Mare Inter Soroca Atletic Strășeni Univer-Oguzsport EFA Visoca Cimișlia Olimpia Bălți Codru Călărași Congaz Pepeni FC Visoca Maiak Chirsova Grănicerul Glodeni Socol Copceac Locomotiva Ocnița Rîșcani La Familia Țarigrad Vulturii Cutezători |

## Preliminary round

8 clubs from the Liga 2 entered this round. Teams that finished higher on the league in the previous season played their ties away. 17 clubs from the Liga 2 received a bye for the preliminary round. Matches were played on 17 August 2022.

## First round

21 clubs from the Liga 2 and 11 clubs from the Liga 1 entered this round. In a match, the home advantage was granted to the team from the lower league. If two teams are from the same division, the team that finished higher on the league in the previous season played their tie away. Matches were played on 30, 31 August and 7 September 2022.

## Second round

The 16 winners from the previous round entered this round. In a match, the home advantage was granted to the team from the lower league. If two teams are from the same division, the team that finished higher on the league in the previous season played their tie away. Matches were played on 14 September 2022.

## Final stage
### Bracket

| Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final | |
| Speranța Drochia | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Sheriff Tiraspol | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Sheriff Tiraspol | 6 | Dacia Buiucani | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| | | Sheriff Tiraspol | 3 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| Iskra Rîbnița | 0 | Sheriff Tiraspol | 3 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| Dacia Buiucani | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Dacia Buiucani | 7 | | | | | Sheriff Tiraspol | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | |
| | | | | | | Petrocub Hîncești | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | |
| Florești | 2 (2) | | | | | | | | | Petrocub Hîncești | 0 | 0 | 0 | | |
| Petrocub Hîncești (a.e.t.) (p) | 2 (4) | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Petrocub Hîncești (a.e.t.) (p) | 2 (4) | Milsami Orhei | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| | | Petrocub Hîncești | 3 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| Locomotiva Ocnița | 0 | Petrocub Hîncești | 3 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| Milsami Orhei | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Milsami Orhei | 2 | | | | | | | | | | Bălți | 0 (6) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | Sheriff Tiraspol (a.e.t.) (p) | 0 (7) | |
| La Familia | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | Sheriff Tiraspol (a.e.t.) (p) | 0 (7) |
| Sfîntul Gheorghe (a.e.t.) | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Sfîntul Gheorghe (a.e.t.) | 5 | Sfîntul Gheorghe (a.e.t.) (p) | 0 | 3 | 3 (7) | | | | | | | | |
| | | Zimbru Chișinău | 0 | 3 | 3 (6) | | | | | | | | |
| Zimbru Chișinău | 3 | Zimbru Chișinău | 0 | 3 | 3 (6) | | | | | | | | |
| Victoria Chișinău | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Victoria Chișinău | 0 | | | | | Sfîntul Gheorghe | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | |
| | | | | | | Bălți (a.e.t.) | 0 | 3 | 3 | | | | |
| Bălți | 4 | | | | | | | | | Bălți (a.e.t.) | 0 | 3 | 3 | | |
| Stăuceni | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Stăuceni | 0 | Bălți | 5 | 4 | 9 | | | | | | | | |
| | | Univer-Oguzsport | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| Dinamo-Auto | 0 | Univer-Oguzsport | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| Univer-Oguzsport (a.e.t.) | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Round of 16

The 8 winners from the previous round and 8 clubs from the Super Liga entered this round. The home teams and the pairs were determined in a draw held on 20 September 2022. Matches were played on 18 and 19 October 2022.

## Quarter-finals

The 8 winners from the previous round entered the quarter-finals. The home teams in the first legs were determined in a draw held on 25 October 2022. The first legs were played on 4 and 5 March 2023 and the second legs on 5 and 6 April 2023.
| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Dacia Buiucani | 1–6 | Sheriff Tiraspol | 0–3 | 1–3 |
| Milsami Orhei | 1–6 | Petrocub Hîncești | 0–3 | 1–3 |
| Sfîntul Gheorghe | 3–3 (7–6 p) | Zimbru Chișinău | 0–0 | 3–3 (a.e.t.) |
| Bălți | 9–1 | Univer-Oguzsport | 5–0 | 4–1 |

### Second leg

The match was abandoned at half-time due to bad pitch condition caused by rain, and was resumed on Thursday 6 April 2023, 17:00 EEST, from the point of abandonment.

## Semi-finals

The 4 winners from the previous round entered the semi-finals. The home teams in the first legs were determined in a draw held on 11 April 2023. The first legs were played on 26 April 2023 and the second legs on 3 May 2023.
| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Sheriff Tiraspol | 3–0 | Petrocub Hîncești | 2–0 | 1–0 |
| Sfîntul Gheorghe | 2–3 | Bălți | 1–0 | 1–3 (a.e.t.) |

### Second leg
## Final

The final was played on Sunday 28 May 2023 at the Municipal Stadium in Hîncești. The "home" team (for administrative purposes) was determined by an additional draw held on 4 May 2023.
| Bălți | Sheriff |
| GK | 1 | Stanislav Namașco |
| DF | 6 | Nathanael Mbourou | 120' |
| DF | 14 | Federico Nsue |
| DF | 22 | Andrei Rusnac (c) | 101' |
| DF | 31 | Welington Taira |
| DF | 44 | Denis Furtună |
| MF | 7 | Nichita Moțpan | 53' |
| MF | 9 | Vadim Yakovlev |
| MF | 10 | Zotsara Randriambololona |
| MF | 11 | Daniel Danu | | 72' |
| FW | 24 | Serafim Cojocari |
| Substitutes: ||
| GK | 16 | Artur Nazarciuc |
| DF | 3 | Vladislav Boico |
| MF | 2 | Álvaro Bely |
| MF | 21 | Petru Neagu | | 72' |
| FW | 17 | Serghei Mișcov |
| FW | 18 | Nichita Cambura |
| FW | 19 | Miracle Nwautobo |
| Head Coach: ||
| Veaceslav Rusnac ||
| GK | 35 | Maksym Koval |
| DF | 4 | Munashe Garananga |
| DF | 6 | Stjepan Radeljić |
| DF | 20 | Armel Zohouri | 59' | 117' |
| DF | 42 | Renan Guedes |
| MF | 8 | Mouhamed Diop | 114' |
| MF | 10 | Cedric Badolo |
| MF | 18 | Moussa Kyabou | | 117' |
| MF | 14 | Amine Talal (c) | | 88' |
| FW | 11 | Ricardinho | | 99' |
| FW | 30 | Abdoul Tapsoba | 58' | 117' |
| Substitutes: ||
| GK | 1 | Dumitru Celeadnic |
| GK | 40 | Razak Abalora |
| DF | 15 | Gaby Kiki | | 117' |
| DF | 29 | Danila Ignatov |
| MF | 12 | Abdoul Moumouni | | 117' |
| MF | 22 | Christ Bekale |
| FW | 9 | Michael López | | 99' |
| FW | 19 | Bubacarr Tambedou | | 88' |
| FW | 31 | Nichita Covali |
| FW | 80 | Iyayi Atiemwen | | 117' |
| FW | 99 | Ismaila Origbaajo |
| Head Coach: ||
| Roberto Bordin ||
| Assistant referees: Vladislav Lifciu (Moldova) Victor Mardari (Moldova) Additional assistant referees: Andrei Cojocaru (Moldova) Ion Bîlea (Moldova) Fourth official: Artur Macovei (Moldova) | Match rules 90 minutes. 30 minutes of extra time if necessary. Penalty shoot-out if score is still level. Eleven named substitutes. Maximum of five substitutions, with a sixth allowed in extra time. |