Reigning premiership champions Sheriff Tiraspol were surprisingly held to a goalless draw by Academia UTM at Chisinau in a Round 7 game-in-hand on Thursday, missing an otherwise easy opportunity climb to the first spot in the standings, Info-Prim Neo reports. The overall insipid game was tainted by some rough play by both sides. As a consequence, two Sheriff players, Jose Nadson and Jimmy Franca of Brazil, received injuries and could miss the upcoming Europa League match against, to take place in Tiraspol on December 2. Sheriff manager Leonid Kuchiuk criticized sharply the state of the pitch at the Dinamo venue. “Not even children should play there, not to mention a National Division team. We'll never see progress in the Moldovan football with such conditions”, the Belorussian said. [National Division Standings:] 1. Iskra-Stal – 42 points (18 matches); 2. Dacia – 42 (19); 3. Sheriff – 41 (17); 4. Olimpia – 29 (18); 5. CSCA-Rapid – 25 (19); 6. Zimbru – 24 (17); 7. Viitorul – 22 (19); 8. FC Tiraspol – 22 (19); 9. Academia – 21 (19); 10. Dinamo – 17 (19); 11. Sf. Gheorghe – 14 (18); 12. Nistru – 10 (19). One more game in hand is to be played before premiership matches suspend for the mid-season recess, with Sheriff and Zimbru compensating for Round 1 on December 7. Games will be resumed in March.