FC Gagra 3-5 FC Dinamo Tbilisi ( att : 300 ) - 2023 Georgia Erovnuli Liga

March 8, 2023

These diaries made their first review on football in Georgia in November 2022 when the game between Samgurali and Dinamo Tbilisi was covered. On that day, Dinamo hung on to claim a 1-1 draw which meant they would win the league on the final day if they could better Dinamo Batumi’s result, which they did with a 2-1 win over Gagra as Batumi were held at home 2-2 by Torpedo Kutasi. Dinamo finished 3 points ahead of Batumi to claim their 19^th title since independence.

Today saw the third round of the 2023 competition.  Gagra finished 9^th in 2022 and stayed in the Erovnuli Liga by virtue of overcoming FC Spaeru on penalties in the relegation/promotion play-off after a 3-3 tie on aggregate after two legs.

Gagra have their origins in the town of Gagra in the Abkhazia region of the country, but due to the Abkhaz-Georgian conflict have been playing in Tbilisi since 2004. Gagra won the Georgian Cup in 2020 as a Second Division side, and went on to play Montenegrin’s FK Sutjeska in the Europa Conference, where they lost 1-2 on aggregate. They were finally promoted in 2021.

So far this season Gagra have lost 3-4 at home to Samgurali and drawn 0-0 at Telavi, with ex Dila Gori 21-year-old Giorgi Lomtadze scoring two of the goals as Gagra failed to hang on to a 3-2 lead.

Transfermrkt rated winger Tornike Okriashvili ( 46 caps ) as Gagra’s most valuable player at €600K after a career that included spells at Genk and APOEL Nicosia but he was missing from today’s squad. Centre-back Levan Kakubava ( 4 caps ) previously played for Dinamo Tbilisi, and Brazilian forward Matheus moved from Lithuanian side Hegelmann.

Dinamo Tbilisi began their season with a 2-1 win at Dila Gori thanks to goals from Camara and Skhirtladze and then a 4-0 victory over Samtredia where Sigua, Moistsrapishivili, Oulad Omar and Marusic were the scorers.

As Georgia are hosting the European Under 21 Championships this summer, Dinamo will be playing their home games at Dila Gori’s ground until the end of July whilst their own stadium is being upgraded for the tournament.

Dinamo’s starting XI included 8 of the players that began the match at Samgurali, with two others on the substitute’s bench and one injured. Into the side were Congo centre-back Francis Nzaba ( 1 cap ) who is on loan from Turkish side Basaksehir, ex-Neman Grodno Serbian striker Zoran Marusic who signed from Uzbek side Navbahor, and Gabriel Sigua, who came on as a substitute at Samgurali. Missing was ex-Dinamo Brest Ukrainian striker Stanislav Bilenyki, who came on as a substitute at Samgurali and has since moved to Israeli side Maccabi Netanya.

Gagra took to the field in an all-blue strip, whilst Dinamo were in all white. Gagra had no shirt sponsor but Dinamo’s sponsors were written in Roman script on their shirts and shorts. However, for both sides the player’s names on the back of the shirts were written in Georgian script, and both sets of numbers were large and easily visible.

The match was not being played at Gagra’s 2,130 capacity David Petriashvili Stadium and instead was being held at the small Tbilisi Sea Technical Central Stadium in eastern Tibilisi, which is also known as the Ilia Kokaia Sports Centre. The ground has one small stand with three rows of seats. There is a car park seemingly on the roof of the stand where three coaches were visible, and around 25 people were looking on, possibly for free ! Fir trees could be seen in the distance behind the parked vehicles. About 20 Dinamo supporters had congregated at one end of the stand. 

 

A fence and bushes were behind one goal, where 10 or so people were watching outside and a fence and stone wall were behind the other goal, in front of a small hill with more trees. The side of the ground where the cameras were located was vacant behind the running track.

Bet365.com made Dinamo Tiblisi 2/5 favourites, Gagra were at 6/1 with the draw 3/1. The weather at the 14.30 local time kick-off was sunny and the temperature 6 degrees. Like all Erovnuli Liga matches, the game was streamed live on the Crystalbet YouTube channel.

Gagra started brightly but wasted two free-kicks from promising positions, with the one taken by Latsabidze hitting the back stanchion. Dinamo took the lead with their first serious venture into the Gagra area. Kobouri’s cross from the left-wing was met at the far post by Sigua but his downward header was pushed away by Ukrainian keeper Vorobey. The ball was reworked by Kirtitadze to Oulad Omar whose first time shot from 12 yards arrowed into the roof of the net.

Gagra almost responded immediately. Lomtadze controlled a long ball and glided past Nzaba. However, he was forced wide by Mali and was only able to direct his left-footed shot several feet wide. A minute later Lomtadze was denied by a superb sliding tackle by Nzaba but the Congolese defender soon had to leave the field with an injury.

With 15 minutes played a dummy by Lomtadze allowed the ball to run on to Kakashvili whose 20 yard strike went a couple of feet wide of the post. Dinamo went down the other end and a low cross from Kobouri led to a close range block by the Gagra keeper, low down at the back post at the expense of a corner.

In the opening twenty minutes, Gagra had attempted to pass their way out from inside their own area but with Dinamo’s high press they had almost inevitably been forced to play a long pass with the loss of possession.

Dinamo’s Murusic had a shot on the run from a tight angle which Vorobey held, then in the 24^th minute Gagra’s Khositashvili low cross from the right was only partially cleared by Tabidze, and Lomtadze first time left-footed attempt from the rebound was pushed away by Kutaladze.

The next chance came Dinamo’s way. Camara’s shot from the edge of the area was blocked and the ball rose high into the air to Marusic inside the 6-yard area but the Serb’s downward header was directed straight at Vorobey. A yard either side of the Gagra keeper would have been a certain goal.

Dinamo came close again in the 31^st minute. A long, raking ball by Mekvabishvili from mid-way in the Dinamo half was controlled on the right-wing by Kirtitadze. Sigua jumped over the incoming cross for the ball to reach Oulad Omar, but the Moroccan’s effort went across the face of the goal and off.

As the game became increasing end-to-end, Gagra had the next chance a minute later after a Dinamo defensive mistake. Museliani teed up Matheus but with a clear sight on goal the chance just outside the area was skyed well over the bar.

Dinamo’s Tabidze was shown the first yellow card of the game after chopping down Lomtadze. Latsabidze swung the free-kick left-footed to beyond the far post where Museliani could only head weakly from a tight angle to Kutaladze. Another Gagra free-kick, this time from Khositashvili, caused panic in the Dinamo 6 yard box, but Kutaladze claimed the ball after it had hit the chest of Tabidze.

Dinamo then went to the other end of the field and a back-heel by Mekvabishvili after a pass from Marusic enabled Oulad Omar to skip past Kakashvili just inside the edge of the area, but his shot went inches wide with the keeper beaten.

Another goal was coming, and it was Gagra who equalised in the 39^th minute. A swift counter attack saw Latsabidze find Matheus down the left channel. The Brazilian ran past Tabidze into the area, and his left-footed shot was too strong for the keeper and went through his body, and bounced into the corner of the goal. To use the cliché, Kutaladze would have been disappointed with his effort.  

To use another cliché, they say you are never more vulnerable than just after you have scored, and Gagra proved this again. Exposed at the back, Dinamo had a 2 on 1 attack as Marusic put Kirtitadze clear, and an unselfish square ball to Camara give the Guinea striker a simple tap-in. The TV replay showed Camara was just on side.

Mali became the second Dinamo player to receive a yellow card for a foul on Museliani, and Matheus sent the free-kick just over the bar. At the half-time the share of possession was 50/50 but Dinamo held the one goal lead.

Anyone getting back to their seat two minutes late after a half-time cuppa would have missed the game’s decisive action. A quick drop kick by the Dinamo keeper was missed by Gagra centre-back Nozadze for Marusic to run on and steer past Vorobey to make it 3-1, and less than a minute later Marusic was put free on the left, and his low cross from close to the by-line found the unmarked Sigua 6 yards out by the back post for an another easy finish. 4-1 with 47 minutes played

Gagra’s defending had disintegrated and they nearly conceded again as a cross flashed across the face of the goal with no Dinamo attacker on hand to apply the finishing touch. Marusic got the ball into the back of the net as the home defence melted away but the goal was chalked off for offside. However, Gagra’s reprieve was short-lived for in the 55^th minute Marusic was away again on the left and similar to Dinamo’s 4^th goal the low cross into the 6 yard box was put into the net, this time by Camara.

With three goals in 10 minutes to put the visitors 5-1 up, Dinamo then made their final three substitutions to give their fringe players an opportunity to impress as the game turned into a bit of a practice match.

Matheus robbed Maisuradze and his shot was heading for the top corner until the diving Kutaladze palmed the ball away. Dinamo could have added a 6^th but Kharaishvili’s cross was met by Oulad Omar’s header was tipped onto the bar and Vorobey caught the rebound whilst on the floor. Oulad Omar kicked a spare ball against the fence in frustration.

Gagra soon followed suit to empty their bench, and their changes seemed to make more of an impact than Dinamo’s and substitute Shonia scored a tremendous goal in the 73^rd minute. Latsabidze played a ball forward, Shonia took one touch to prevent Tabidze making a defensive header, and then chipped over the keeper from 25 yards, with the ball going in off the far post.

Dinamo’s defensive work was becoming sloppy and after Osikmashvili lost possession, Khositashvili’s 30 yarder needed a fine save from the Dinamo guardian to prevent the deficit being further reduced. Nemsadze’s free-kick went close as the home side searched for another consolation goal and Khvadgiani made a good tackle to stop Shonia.

Gagra did add another to their account though with another fine finish. Chaganava whipped in a fine cross from the right and Shonia rose above Khvadgiani to sent a bullet header past Kutaladze from 8 yards to make it 3-5 with 8 minutes remaining.

As Dinamo continued to fade, with 90 minutes up Chaganava’s 25 yarder was heading for the top corner before Kutaladze made another fine save. The final piece of action saw Dinamo butcher a 3 on 1 breakaway but in their eagerness, they were caught off-side.

15 goals have been scored in Gagra’s two home matches so far, whilst Dinamo maintained their 100% start to the season. Gagra had 52% of the possession and 16 goal attempts compared to 12 for Dinamo. However, the most important statistic was the 5 goals scored by Dinamo !

FC Gagra : Vorobey – Kakubava, Nozadze, Jangidze ( Shonia ) – Khositashvili, Sultanishvili, Kakashvili ( Shetsiruli ), Latsabidze – Lomtadze ( Chaganava ), Museliani ( Boutrif ), Matheus ( Nemsadze )

FC Dinamo Tbilisi : Kutaladze – Mali ( Maisuradze ), Nzaba ( Khvadgiani ), Tabidze, Kobouri – Mekvabishvili ( Osikmashvili ), Kirtitadze ( Kharaishvili ), Oulad Omar – Sigua, Marusic, Camara ( Shkirtladze )