Unusual fact occurred in the match between Georgian University and Norwegian Skandsmo in 1/32 final of born in 1997. Jury of the tournament gathered and made a decision good for Georgian team: Norwegians went to the match by two buses and one was late. So, the team played with 9 football players.
When our coach Zaza Didebashvili asked what was going on, referee answered – we cannot delay the match. They will play with 9 players and you – with 11. Zaza told him that he had never done anything unfair in his life and did not want such victory. The referee did not agree with him and then, Didebashvili took 9 players! Norwegians were astonished and started phoning to federations of Denmark and Norway. They had never seen such behavior and wanted to thank officially! The jury of Dana Cup decided to award the Georgian coach with Fair Play trophy after the end of the match. Ours defeated Skandsmo 3:2 (Roman Khurtsilava, goalkeeper Nika Suladze – penalty!), then Bones 2:1 (Rati Bakuradze, Levan Shekiladze), Horten 3:1 (Nodar Malatsidze, Roman Ramishvili and one auto-goal), Vogg 2:1 (Malatsidze, Gio Aitsuradze) and made through semifinal where the Georgians lost to Norwegian Vos 1:2. Everybody talked about Zaza Didebashvili at the tournament and everybody wanted to shake hand with him…
U-19 team lost to Norwegian Lungdal 0:2. This match showed why our talented boys stop playing at this age and why less talented ones of other countries achieve success in football. Norwegians were less tactic players but they fulfilled instructions of the coach. Ours were tired and could not fulfill instructions of the coach.
“Lokomotive” Tbilisi (Lasha Gaprindashvili, Malkhaz Kokiashvili) beat seven opponents: Swedish Stufta 1:0 (Otar Kukhalashvili), Norwegian Stoke 4:0 (Gio Ghviniashvili – 3, Gio Doborjginidze), Norwegian New Mark 3:1 (Sandro Shinjikashvili – 2, Otar Kukhalashvili), German Haviksbek 9:0 (Kukhalashvili – 2, Nakhutsrishvili, Ghviniashvili, Ozbegashvili, Shavadze, Mangoshvili, Khazalia, Mangoshvili), Swedish Govik 2:1 (Ghviniashvili, Ozbegashvili), Landhaus 1:0 (Ghviniashvili), Scottish New Battle 4:1 (Ozbegashvili, Gamtsemlidze, Mangoshvili, Bakuradze) and in semifinal the Georgians played 0:0 with Nome United. The Georgians lost penalty shootout and won bronze medal!
Mamuka Kvaratskhelia specially for worldsport.ge from Denmark
Photo by author
