FC Matchakhela Khelvachauri

FC Matchakhela is a Georgian football club based in the town of Khelvachauri. Following the 2022 season, they gained promotion to Liga 3, the third tier of Georgian league system.

FC Matchakhela Khelvachauri
Full nameFC Matchakhela Khelvachauri
Founded2011 (2011)
GroundCentral stadium, Khelvachauri
Capacity1,000
ManagerAvtandil Kunchulia
LeagueLiga 3
20223rd of 16 in Liga 4, Promoted

History

Matchakhela was founded оn the basis of Khelvachauri Sport School in 2011. Amiran Gogitidze, the first head coach, guided the club to Meore Liga, which they won with automatic promotion.[1]

For most of the next season Matchakhela were engaged in inter-Adjarian rivalry with Dinamo Batumi for a second promotion place to Umaglesi Liga, in which eventually the latter prevailed. Overall, the 3rd place taken 2014 in Liga 2 has been the club's highest point reached in Georgian leagues.[2]

The team concluded the 2014/15 season comfortably in mid-table, but a year later entered a period of instability. Struggling the whole season, eventually they lost a survival battle.

The 2016 season was transitional in all Georgian football leagues into Spring-Autumn system with a sharp reduction of clubs in each division. Matchakhela failed to remain in the third tier and thus suffered double relegation in successive seasons. Although they managed to climb back to Liga 3 the next year,[3] in 2018 the team finished bottom of the league.[4]

Matchakhela spent two seasons in Regionuli Liga before they won promotion to Liga 4 for 2021. After two more years under Avtandil Kunchulia they successfully concluded their league campaign and moved back into the third tier.[5]

Seasons
SeasonLeaguePosMPWDLGF–GAPts
2012-13Meore Liga West1st of 13↑24202274-1162
2013-14Pirveli Liga Group B3rd of 1426166444-2154
2014-15Pirveli Liga Group A6th of 10361431948-6645
2015-16Pirveli Liga16th of 18↓348131330-4337
2016Liga 3 Group B5th of 8↓1471625-2322
2017Regionuli Liga West A2nd of 15↑2895463-2362
2018Liga 320th of 20↓385132035-6328
2019Regionuli Liga West8th of 1018621030-4020
2020Regionuli Liga West B2nd of 6↑1080228-1624
2021Liga 4 White Group7th of 1018611135-4119
Relegation Round5th of 101893645-2430
2022Liga 43rd of 16↑30204660-2664
2023Liga 3TBD300000-00

Squad

As of 19 May 2023

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
4 DF Georgia (country) GEO Lasha Kakhidze
5 DF Georgia (country) GEO Shota Pantsulaia
6 DF Georgia (country) GEO Gela Gogitidze
7 MF Georgia (country) GEO Ramaz Kveseishvili (C)
8 MF Georgia (country) GEO Vasiko Kunchulia
9 FW Georgia (country) GEO Mate Kometiani
10 MF Georgia (country) GEO Nika Gorgadze
11 FW Georgia (country) GEO Erekle Malazonia
14 MF Ivory Coast CIV Ehon Kodjo
15 DF Georgia (country) GEO Timur Gogitidze
No. Pos. Nation Player
16 MF Georgia (country) GEO Saba Shvelidze
18 DF Georgia (country) GEO Amiko Kutubidze
19 MF Georgia (country) GEO Anri Zakarashvili
22 FW Georgia (country) GEO Nika Kvantaliani
23 DF Georgia (country) GEO Irakli Kromlidi
24 MF Georgia (country) GEO Luka Ninidze
26 MF Georgia (country) GEO Rezo Maisaia
27 DF Georgia (country) GEO Luka Pipia
30 GK Georgia (country) GEO Gabriel Tebidze

Honours

• Pirveli Liga

Third place (1): 2013-14, Group B

• Meore Liga

Winners (1): 2012-13

• Liga 4

Third place (1): 2022

• Regionuli Liga (West)

Runners-up (2): 2017, 2020

Stadium

Matchakhela hosts home games at Akhalsopeli Central stadium, which has the capacity of 1,000 seats.

Name

The name derives from Machakheli, a geographical area near the border between Georgia and Turkey.

References
  1. "2012/13 season in Meore Liga". soccerway.com.
  2. "Pirveli Liga 2013/14". soccerway.com.
  3. "პლეი-ოფის წილისყრა ეროვნული ლიგა 3-ის საგზურისთვის". fanebi.com (in Georgian), 23 November 2017.
  4. "2018 in Liga 3". gff.ge.
  5. "ხელვაჩაურის „მაჭახელა" საქართველოს ლიგა 3-ში გადასასვლელად ემზადება". ajaratv.ge (in Georgian). 18 November 2022.

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