FC Tskhinvali

FC Tskhinvali is a Georgian football club, which in mid-2010s spent four seasons in the top tier of the national league.

FC Tskhinvali
Full nameFC Tskhinvali
Nickname(s)Kartvelebi
Founded1936
LeagueCurrently suspended

Despite the name, due to the enduring Georgian–Ossetian conflict they were unable to host their opponents in the city of Tskhinvali, playing home games instead in Georgian-controlled areas, mostly in Gori, Tbilisi and Rustavi.

In early 2020 the club was disqualified from Liga 3 after their failure to solve a severe financial crisis.[1]

History

The original Spartaki Tskhinvali were founded in 1936, and during the time of the Soviet Union were a mainstay in the regional Georgian League, which was the fourth division in the Soviet league table. The club's biggest success came in 1987 when they won the regional Georgian Cup.[2]

With the creation of independent Georgian league the club changed their name into Liakhvi and played several games of the first season until being withdrawn from the competition.

The team was restored in 2007, in an effort for the Georgian government to regain control over the break-away region of South Ossetia.[3] Having won the second league in 2013, they were promoted to Umaglesi Liga.[4]

In January 2015 the team was renamed as FC Tskhinvali.[5] In 2014/15 the club reached semifinals of the national Cup for the first time, but failed to overcome Dinamo Tbilisi (1-2 on aggregate). Their championship game four days prior to the return leg ended with Tskhinvali's sensational 4–1 victory.[6]

In the same season under Kakha Kacharava the team reached their highest position in the league by finishing 4th and qualified for 2015–16 Europa League competition.[7]

Tskhinvali were relegated from Umaglesi Liga after the transitional 2016 season. For three years the team competed in the second division. After an automatic relegation[8] they were supposed to play in Liga 3 the next year, although unable to cope with long-standing financial difficulties, the club was expelled from the league in January 2020.[9]

Honours
Champion: 1987 [10]
Champion: 2013
Bronze medal winner: 1997, 2005

Last squad

As of August 2019[11]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Georgia (country) GEO Mindia Gogiashvili
2 MF Georgia (country) GEO Nikoloz Gabelaia
3 DF Georgia (country) GEO Achiko Shalamberidze
4 DF Georgia (country) GEO Jemal Gogiashvili
5 DF Georgia (country) GEO Luka Maghradze
7 MF Georgia (country) GEO Tornike Mosiashvili
8 MF Georgia (country) GEO Soso Malania
9 DF Georgia (country) GEO Beka Kebadze
11 FW Georgia (country) GEO Guram Kavelashvili
12 GK Georgia (country) GEO Giorgi Kutateladze
13 DF Georgia (country) GEO Lasha Khatiashvili
14 MF Georgia (country) GEO Nikoloz Gabrichidze
16 MF Georgia (country) GEO Luka Janashia
17 MF Georgia (country) GEO Luka Beriashvili
18 MF Georgia (country) GEO Sandro Kvirikashvili
No. Pos. Nation Player
19 MF Georgia (country) GEO Zviad Gogia
20 DF Georgia (country) GEO Giorgi Narimanidze
21 MF Georgia (country) GEO Givi Ioseliani
22 MF Georgia (country) GEO Tsotne Samushia
23 MF Georgia (country) GEO Akaki Janelidze
24 MF Georgia (country) GEO Aleksandre Gamtsemlidze
25 DF Georgia (country) GEO Giga Cheishvili
26 FW Georgia (country) GEO Luka Khardziani
27 MF Georgia (country) GEO Zviad Lobjanidze
29 DF Georgia (country) GEO Avtandil Siradze
30 GK Georgia (country) GEO Tariel Khaindrava
32 MF Georgia (country) GEO Davit Dvalishvili
33 DF Georgia (country) GEO Giorgi Didebashvili
35 FW Georgia (country) GEO Giorgi Muzashvili

Eurocups record
Season Competition Round Club Home Away
2015–16 UEFA Europa League 1Q Romania FC Botoșani 1–3 1–1
Notes
  • 1Q: First qualifying round

Top scorers
SeasonDiv.NameGoals
2012–132ndZviad Metreveli21
2013–141stIrakli Ekhvaia, Tornike Tukhareli4
2014–151stNika Kacharava12
2015–161stNika Kacharava13
20161stJaba Dvali7
20172ndTamaz Makatsaria21
20182ndZviad Metreveli8
20192ndData Sitchinava7

Managers
  • Georgia (country) Badri Kvaratskhelia (Oct 1, 2010–1?)
  • Georgia (country) Vladimer Khachidze (Sept 15, 2011 – Oct 30, 2013)
  • Georgia (country) Kakhaber Kacharava (Nov 1, 2013–)
  • Georgia (country) Gocha Chikovani ( - April 2017)
  • Georgia (country) Malkhaz Latsabidze (May 2017 - May 2018)
  • Georgia (country) Yuri Gabiskiria (June - August 2018)
  • Italy Roberto Landi (Sep - Oct 2018)
  • Georgia (country) Malkhaz Latsabidze (Nov - Dec 2018)
  • Spain Xavier Munoz Sanchez (Mar - Jun 2019)
  • Georgia (country) Vladimer Vashadze (Jul - Sept 2019)
  • Georgia (country) Giga Kutivadze (Oct - Dec 2019)

References
  1. ""ცხინვალი" მესამე ლიგშიც კი ვერ იასპარეზებს". sportall.ge (in Georgian).
  2. "Spartaki Tskhinvali: Georgia's football memorial to South Ossetia".
  3. Displaced Georgians keep memories alive with soccer in exile - Eurasianet
  4. "Pirveli Liga in 2013". soccerway.com.
  5. Georgia 2015/16 - RSSSF
  6. "ცხინვალმა ისევ მოიგო, "დინამო" კვლავ ფინალშია". worldsport.ge (in Georgian). 28 April 2015.
  7. FC Tskhinvali qualified to 2015–16 Europa League first qualifying round – 2015–16 UEFA Europa League list of participants.
  8. "Liga 2 in 2019". soccerway.com.
  9. "დაელოდეთ ვაჟა ზაზაევიჩს!.. ანუ, როგორ და ვისი ხელით ჩაიძირა ცხინვალი? დირექტორი პრობლემებზე ღიად ლაპარაკობს..." lelo.ge (in Georgian), 11 March 2020.
  10. Georgia - List of Cup Winners - RSSSF
  11. "Players". Erovnuliliga. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
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