| West Derby | |
| Other Names: | UTA vs Poli |
| First Contested: | 1948–49 Divizia A (29 August 1948) |
| Most Wins: | UTA Arad (33) |
| Mostrecent: | 2019–20 Liga II (20 October 2019) |
| Nextmeeting: | 2019–20 Liga II (25 April 2019) |
| Total: | 78 |
The West Derby (Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: Derbiul Vestului) is a match between the fierce rivals SSU Politehnica Timișoara and UTA Arad, the biggest and most popular football clubs in the western of Romania.
At first glance, the reasons for rivalry between Timișoara and Arad are multiple. At first sight, it is the rivalry between the cities, both with a rich economic and cultural activity. Then it would be the postwar period, when, in administratively terms, Arad destiny was decided by Timișoara. In football, the two cities dispute the status of pioneer in the Romanian football. All these aspects have contributed to today's enmity, between Poli and UTA. A decisive episode, however, was consumed in 1964.
The flame that lit irreversible the rivalry between Poli and UTA was the match from 16 May 1964 in Timișoara. Both teams were hungry for points and the pressure was greater on the shoulders of Timișoara players, who were in a tough situation, the bottom of the table. Over 25,000 spectators stormed the new stadium on May 16, a stadium that was not completely built.
On UTA's bench was Coloman Braun-Bogdan aka "Csibi", coach that a year before finished in 3rd place with Timișoara. After a quarrel with Remus Lazăr and Nelu Igna, it has been removed from the team and took over UTA. So it is understandable that the famous coach has to pay some "debts".
"Csibi not come alone, but with the referee Lulu Mihăilescu. They have scored a goal from offside, led us, and when we equalized at 3–3, Lereter scored, but the referee cancelled the goal. When people saw that, they triggered the scandal", remember, many years ago, Cicerone Manolache, one of the protagonists of that match. Then followed a bombing rocks on the lockers. The police intervened, but viewers could not be calmed so easy. Witnesses said that one of the police cars was overthrown by Druckers (Poli fans). The whole incident was left with arrests and expulsions for students who actively participated in the scandal.
Timișoara stadium was suspended, they disputed their last home matches in exile, at Reșița. At the end of that edition of the championship, Știința Timișoara relegated.[1]
In the last 20 years, both teams faced financial problems, so the meetings between them becoming rarer, but perhaps more explosive. Firstly FC Politehnica Timișoara, it was the one who had financial problems in the early 2000s. Then Timișoara recovered and returns in the first league through an alliance with AEK București, they became for a short period Politehnica AEK Timișoara. But 2000s did not have to be gentle with their great rival, UTA Arad, as well. They played mostly in the second league except the moment when promoted instead of Liberty Salonta, which promoted on the pitch, but sold its place. Then in the early 2010s, both teams arrived in the second league. Then in 2012 FC Politehnica Timișoara went bankrupt and it was followed by her biggest rival UTA Arad, two years later, in 2014.[2] [3] If at Arad the team started from Liga IV, being supported by everyone and holding the old team record and logo, at Timișoara things had to be more complicated. After the dissolution of FC Politehnica Timișoara in 2012, appeared 2 teams. ACS Poli Timișoara, former ACS Recaș which was moved from Recaș to Timișoara and inheriting the old team record, a team that is supported by local authorities. The second one is SSU Politehnica Timișoara, a team supported by the fans of Poli (Druckeria), who started its road from Liga V. UTA fans consider SSU Politehnica Timișoara as their real rival because it is supported by FC Politehnica Timișoara fans.
On 13 November 2016, UTA and Poli met again, for the first time in this new format. The match end draw but UTA Arad had possession and occasions. Even though UTA controlled the match from the beginning to end, Poli managed to score the opening goal. Later, UTA scored and the match ended 1-1.[4]
| Competition | Played | Politehnica wins | Draws | UTA wins | Politehnica goals | UTA goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Divizia A / Liga I | 52 | 15 | 16 | 21 | 65 | 78 | |
| Divizia B / Liga II | 25 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 32 | 35 | |
| Cupa României | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |
| Total | 78 | 25 | 21 | 33 | 98 | 117 |
All-known meetings:[5]
| width=7% | Date! | Venue | width=7% | Home team! | width=7% | Score! | width=7% | Away Team! | width=10% | Goals (home)! | width=10% | Goals (away)! | width=7% | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 August 1948 | Francisc von Neumann | ITA Arad | 2–0 | Politehnica Timișoara | Karpinetz (7, 9) | – | Divizia A | |||||||
| 20 March 1949 | Știința | CSU Timișoara | 0–0 | ITA Arad | – | – | ||||||||
| 4 June 1950 | Francisc von Neumann | Flamura Roșie Arad | 4–0 | CSU Timișoara | Capas (4), Mercea (44, 62), Boitoș (?) | – | ||||||||
| 29 October 1950 | Știința | Știința Timișoara | 2–1 | Flamura Roșie Arad | Morja (25), Pall (44 o.g.) | Reinhardt (75) | ||||||||
| 25 March 1951 | Francisc von Neumann | Flamura Roșie Arad | 2–2 | Știința Timișoara | Dumitrescu (51), Pecsovszky (88) | Boroș (46, 62) | ||||||||
| 26 August 1951 | Știința | Știința Timișoara | 0–3 | Flamura Roșie Arad | Boitoș (30), Covaci (75), Mercea (76) | – | ||||||||
| 19 April 1953 | Știința | Știința Timișoara | 0–0 | Flamura Roșie Arad | – | – | ||||||||
| 4 October 1953 | Francisc von Neumann | Flamura Roșie Arad | 2–0 | Știința Timișoara | Mercea (16), Váczi (69) | – | ||||||||
| 21 October 1953 | Știința | Știința Timișoara | 1–4 | Flamura Roșie Arad | Cupa României | |||||||||
| 16 June 1954 | Francisc von Neumann | Flamura Roșie Arad | 1–1 | Știința Timișoara | Don (26) | Ciosescu (10) | Divizia A | |||||||
| 27 October 1954 | Știința | Știința Timișoara | 4–0 | Flamura Roșie Arad | Ciosescu (8, 15, 80), Cojereanu (71 pen.) | – | ||||||||
| 20 March 1955 | Francisc von Neumann | Flamura Roșie Arad | 1–0 | Știința Timișoara | Ioanovici (72) | – | ||||||||
| 28 August 1955 | Știința | Știința Timișoara | 1–4 | Flamura Roșie Arad | R. Lazăr (82) | Capas (18), Birău (32), Pecsovszky (85, 87) | ||||||||
| 1 July 1956 | Francisc von Neumann | Flamura Roșie Arad | 1–2 | Știința Timișoara | Boitoș (56) | Dinulescu (40), Ciosescu (64) | ||||||||
| 11 November 1956 | Știința | Știința Timișoara | 3–2 | Flamura Roșie Arad | Ciosescu (3, 58), Gârleanu (85) | Pecsovszky (10), Jurcă (15) | ||||||||
| 8 September 1957 | Francisc von Neumann | Flamura Roșie Arad | 3–3 | Știința Timișoara | Jurcă (23, 59), Mercea (24) | Ciosescu (52, 67), Dușan (81 o.g.) | ||||||||
| 20 April 1958 | Știința | Știința Timișoara | 2–2 | Flamura Roșie Arad | Gârleanu (29), Cădariu (57) | Matias (18), Țârlea I (20) | ||||||||
| 21 September 1958 | Francisc von Neumann | UTA Arad | 1–1 | Știința Timișoara | Igna (59) | Zaharia (58) | ||||||||
| 29 March 1959 | Știința | Știința Timișoara | 1–2 | UTA Arad | Filip (65 pen.) | Țârlea I (12, 80) | ||||||||
| 13 October 1960 | Știința | Știința Timișoara | 2–3 | UTA Arad | Gârleanu (18), Manolache (56) | Pecsovszky (2), Metskas (22), Tăucean (53) | ||||||||
| 23 April 1961 | Francisc von Neumann | UTA Arad | 1–1 | Știința Timișoara | Czako (8) | Lereter (41) | ||||||||
| 3 September 1961 | Știința | Știința Timișoara | 1–0 | UTA Arad | R. Lazăr (53) | – | ||||||||
| 1 April 1962 | Francisc von Neumann | UTA Arad | 1–1 | Știința Timișoara | Mir. Sasu (77) | Lereter (50) | ||||||||
| 28 November 1962 | Francisc von Neumann | UTA Arad | 3–2 | Știința Timișoara | Leac (29), Chivu (40), Mir. Sasu (81) | Bîtlan (14, 20) | ||||||||
| 21 April 1963 | Știința | Știința Timișoara | 1–1 | UTA Arad | Mițaru (3) | Mir. Sasu (30) | ||||||||
| 20 October 1963 | Francisc von Neumann | UTA Arad | 2–1 | Știința Timișoara | Tomeș (23), Țârlea I (55) | Surdan (90) | ||||||||
| 17 May 1964 | 1 Mai | Știința Timișoara | 3–3 | UTA Arad | Mițaru (28), Manolache (30), Lereter (75) | Țârlea I (9), Tomeș (23, 76) | ||||||||
| 5 September 1965 | Francisc von Neumann | UTA Arad | 0–0 | Știința Timișoara | – | – | ||||||||
| 10 April 1966 | 1 Mai | Politehnica Timișoara | 1–0 | UTA Arad | Lereter (25) | – | ||||||||
| 9 November 1966 | Francisc von Neumann | UTA Arad | 5–2 | Politehnica Timișoara | Șchiopu (5, 19, 56), Tr. Popescu (14, 44) | Mihăilă (61), Popanică (86) | ||||||||
| 28 May 1967 | 1 Mai | Politehnica Timișoara | 4–2 | UTA Arad | Cotormani (54), Regep (67), Lereter (74 pen.), Mureșan (82) | Jac (31), Țârlea I (89 pen.) | ||||||||
| 9 December 1973 | Francisc von Neumann | UTA Arad | 3–0 | Politehnica Timișoara | Kun (23), Brosovszky (42), Domide (87) | – | ||||||||
| 19 June 1974 | 1 Mai | Politehnica Timișoara | 1–3 | UTA Arad | Bojin (16) | Trandafilon (3, 69), Leac (71) | ||||||||
| 10 November 1974 | 1 Mai | Politehnica Timișoara | 0–0 | UTA Arad | – | – | ||||||||
| 18 May 1975 | Francisc von Neumann | UTA Arad | 2–0 | Politehnica Timișoara | – | |||||||||
| 23 November 1975 | 1 Mai | Politehnica Timișoara | 3–0 | UTA Arad | Anghel (33), Dembrovschi (74), Petrescu (80) | – | ||||||||
| 9 June 1976 | Francisc von Neumann | UTA Arad | 2–1 | Politehnica Timișoara | Colnic (12), Brosovszky (29) | Floareș (62) | ||||||||
| 10 October 1976 | 1 Mai | Politehnica Timișoara | 2–1 | UTA Arad | Dembrovschi (11 pen.), Roșca (89) | Nedelcu (63) | ||||||||
| 15 May 1977 | Francisc von Neumann | UTA Arad | 2–1 | Politehnica Timișoara | Leac (29), Brosovszky (84) | Lața (75) | ||||||||
| 12 October 1977 | 1 Mai | Politehnica Timișoara | 1–1 | UTA Arad | Lața (54 pen.) | Brosovszky (20) | ||||||||
| 23 April 1978 | Francisc von Neumann | UTA Arad | 2–1 | Politehnica Timișoara | ||||||||||
| 28 October 1978 | Francisc von Neumann | UTA Arad | 1–0 | Politehnica Timișoara | Brosovszky (26) | – | ||||||||
| 25 April 1979 | 1 Mai | Politehnica Timișoara | 1–0 | UTA Arad | Cotec (15) | – | ||||||||
| 14 October 1981 | 1 Mai | Politehnica Timișoara | 0–0 | UTA Arad | – | – | ||||||||
| 17 April 1982 | Francisc von Neumann | UTA Arad | 0–0 | Politehnica Timișoara | – | – | ||||||||
| 18 September 1983 | Francisc von Neumann | UTA Arad | 1–2 | Politehnica Timișoara | Țârlea II (3) | Anghel (53), Vlătănescu (63) | Divizia B | |||||||
| 1 April 1984 | 1 Mai | Politehnica Timișoara | 3–0 | UTA Arad | Giuchici (32, 35), Ad. Manea (78) | – | ||||||||
| 16 November 1986 | 1 Mai | Politehnica Timișoara | 4–2 | UTA Arad | Vușcan (7), Bolba (28, 55), Sabou (50) | Lucaci (11, 22) | ||||||||
| 7 June 1987 | Francisc von Neumann | UTA Arad | 0–2 | Politehnica Timișoara | – | Bobaru (25), Bolba (70) | ||||||||
| 11 November 1988 | 1 Mai | Politehnica Timișoara | 3–1 | UTA Arad | Ionuț (8), Vlaicu (59), Varga (87) | Mulțescu (42) | ||||||||
| 12 March 1989 | Francisc von Neumann | UTA Arad | 2–3 | Politehnica Timișoara | Petrescu (1, 74) | Trăistaru (30), Oloșutean (35), Varga (64) | ||||||||
| 11 September 1993 | Francisc von Neumann | UTA Arad | 1–0 | Politehnica Timișoara | A. Ungur (37) | – | Divizia A | |||||||
| 27 February 1994 | 1 Mai | Politehnica Timișoara | 1–0 | UTA Arad | Varga (83 pen.) | – | ||||||||
| 6 September 1997 | Francisc von Neumann | UTA Arad | 1–3 | Politehnica Timișoara | Volocaru (90) | Stoican (14), Ibrahim (75), Călin (81) | Divizia B | |||||||
| 28 March 1998 | Dan Păltinișanu | Politehnica Timișoara | 1–1 | UTA Arad | Mar. Sasu (52) | Ad. Baciu (50) | ||||||||
| 5 September 1998 | Francisc von Neumann | UTA Arad | 1–1 | Politehnica Timișoara | Cl. Drăgan (61) | Stoican (4) | ||||||||
| 7 April 1999 | Dan Păltinișanu | Politehnica Timișoara | 1–2 | UTA Arad | Codrea (12) | Mariș (25), Cl. Drăgan (46) | ||||||||
| 27 October 1999 | Francisc von Neumann | UTA Arad | 1–0 | Politehnica Timișoara | Cr. Todea (66) | – | ||||||||
| 3 May 2000 | Dan Păltinișanu | Politehnica Timișoara | 2–0 | UTA Arad | Stupar (45), Naidin (90) | – | ||||||||
| 18 October 2000 | Dan Păltinișanu | Politehnica Timișoara | 0–1 | UTA Arad | – | Cr. Todea (52) | ||||||||
| 12 May 2001 | Francisc von Neumann | UTA Arad | 0–0 | Politehnica Timișoara | – | – | ||||||||
| 13 October 2001 | Dan Păltinișanu | Politehnica Timișoara | 1–2 | UTA Arad | Benga (86) | Miculescu (38, 43) | ||||||||
| 11 May 2002 | Francisc von Neumann | UTA Arad | 7–0 | Politehnica Timișoara | Drida (4), Fritea (11), Miculescu (12, 43), Ciubăncan (48), Ianu (51, 61) | – | ||||||||
| 5 October 2002 | Dan Păltinișanu | Politehnica Timișoara | 3–4 | UTA Arad | M. Oprea (1, 68), R. Stancu (39) | Constantinovici (51, o.g.), N'Jock (62), Manta (77), Chițescu (90+2) | Divizia A | |||||||
| 16 April 2003 | Francisc von Neumann | UTA Arad | 0–1 | Politehnica Timișoara | – | M. Oprea (30) | ||||||||
| 18 November 2006 | Dan Păltinișanu | Politehnica Timișoara | 2–0 | UTA Arad | Pleșan (25), Mansour (74) | – | Liga I | |||||||
| 18 May 2007 | Francisc von Neumann | UTA Arad | 2–1 | Politehnica Timișoara | Hora (27), Edson (55) | Bucur (50) | ||||||||
| 1 September 2007 | Francisc von Neumann | UTA Arad | 2–3 | Politehnica Timișoara | Cr. Todea (26), Bălțoi (49) | Bucur (4, 12, 89) | ||||||||
| 15 March 2008 | Dan Păltinișanu | Politehnica Timișoara | 2–0 | UTA Arad | Arm. Karamyan (23), Abiodun (62) | – | ||||||||
| 30 September 2011 | Francisc von Neumann | UTA Arad | 0–0 | Politehnica Timișoara | – | – | Liga II | |||||||
| 20 April 2012 | Dan Păltinișanu | Politehnica Timișoara | 0–1 | UTA Arad | – | Galanis (11) | ||||||||
| 13 November 2016 | Motorul | UTA Arad | 1–1 | Politehnica Timișoara | Andor (88) | Blănaru (70) | ||||||||
| 21 May 2017 | Dan Păltinișanu | Politehnica Timișoara | 0–3 | UTA Arad | – | Curtuiuș (30), Gligor (33), Piccioni (90+2) | ||||||||
| 15 October 2017 | Dan Păltinișanu | Politehnica Timișoara | 2–1 | UTA Arad | Predescu (3), Bilia (62) | Asani (9) | ||||||||
| 24 April 2018 | Otto Greffner | UTA Arad | 3–0 (forfait) | Politehnica Timișoara | – | – | ||||||||
| 27 October 2018 | Dan Păltinișanu | Politehnica Timișoara | 1–3 | UTA Arad | Bozian (67 pen.) | Janos (14, 40), Rus (87) | ||||||||
| 4 May 2019 | Motorul | UTA Arad | 0–2 | Politehnica Timișoara | – | Ignea (10), Al. Manea (71) | ||||||||
| 21 October 2019 | Motorul | UTA Arad | 1–0 | Politehnica Timișoara | Rus (49) | – |
Notes: