Irakli Khutsidze

Irakli Khutsidze (Georgian: ირაკლი ხუციძე; born 16 April 1990) is a Georgian footballer who plays as a midfielder for the Dayton Dutch Lions of the USL Pro.

Irakli Khutsidze
ირაკლი ხუციძე
Personal information
Date of birth (1990-04-16) 16 April 1990
Place of birth Kutaisi, Georgia
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s) Defensive Midfielder
Defender
Team information
Current team
 Dayton Dutch Lions
Number 7
Youth career
2007–2009 FC Ameri Tbilisi
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2010 Baia Zugdidi 7 (1)
2010–2012 FC Gagra 35 (3)
2013– Dayton Dutch Lions 40 (0)
International career‡
2008 Georgia U19 1 (0)
2009 Georgia U21
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21:25, 6 August 2015 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 8 July 2013

Career

Club

Born in Kutaisi, from 2007 to 2009, Khutsidze worked his way through the ranks at FC Ameri Tbilisi. He appeared for the first team during the 2008–2009 season, scoring 4 goals in 27 matches. At the time, Ameri played in the Pirveli Liga, Georgia's second division. In 2009, Khutsidze was signed to the senior squad of Baia Zugdidi of the Georgian Premier League. Khutsidze played in 7 league matches and scored 1 goal during his year with the club.[1] The following season, Khutsidze signed for FC Gagra, also of the Georgian Premier League. In 2011, he captained the team, helping the club become league champions and qualifying them to compete in 2011–12 UEFA Europa League qualifying.[2] Khutsidze played in both of Gagra's matches in the tournament but the team was ultimately eliminated from qualification 2–3 on aggregate by Anorthosis Famagusta F.C. of Cyprus.[3] In June 2012, Khutsidze trialed with and appeared in a reserve league match for the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer despite offers to play in Ukraine.[4][5]

After not being signed by the Crew, Khutsidze returned to Gagra.[6] On 4 February 2013, it was announced that Khutsidze's contract with FC Gagra had been terminated by mutual consent.[7] It was then announced on 10 April 2013 that Khutsidze had signed for the Dayton Dutch Lions of the USL Pro, the third division of United States soccer league system for the 2013 season.[2] On 20 April 2013, Khutsidze made his debut for Dayton in the opening game of the season, a 2–1 victory over the Pittsburgh Riverhounds.[8] Khutsidze finished the 2013 USL Pro season with a total of 25 league appearances, tallying three assists.[9]

On 24 March 2014, it was announced that Khutsidze had re-signed with the Dutch Lions for the 2014 USL Pro season.[10] Following the season, Khutsidze re-signed with Dayton as they self-relegated to the Premier Development League after making 35 USL professional appearances for the club.[11]

International

In 2009, Khutsidze appeared in a U21 friendly against Belarus. Khutsidze was part of Georgia's squad for qualification for the 2011 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship.[3]

References
  1. "Irakli Khutsidze Profile". footballdatabase.eu. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  2. "Dutch Lions Unveil Five Signings". USL Pro. Archived from the original on 17 April 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  3. "UEFA Profile". UEFA. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  4. Jardy, Adam. "Lineup Options Plentiful For Sunday". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  5. "Irakli Khutsidze-soccerstats". soccerstats.us. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  6. "ირაკლი ხუციძე ამერიკაში ლეგიონერებზე ლიმიტის გამო ვერ დარჩა" (in Georgian). sportall.ge. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  7. ""გაგრა" კაპიტანმა დატოვა" (in Georgian). worldsport.ge. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  8. "Pittsburgh Riverhounds at Dayton Dutch Lions 1:2". USL Pro. Archived from the original on 30 June 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  9. "Dayton Dutch Lions 2013 Statistics". USL Pro. Archived from the original on 30 January 2013. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  10. "Trio of Players Return To Dayton". USL Pro. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
  11. Shisler, Matthew. "LIONS SIGN VETERAN KHUTSIDZE". Dayton Dutch Lions. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
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