The first round of National Championship has been postponed until September 15 and today the second, but nominally the third round will start. Each team has already held only one match. The upcoming round will last three days and will have a good end - champion "Olimp" Rustavi will host "Dinamo" Tbilisi. This is the central match.


XXII Georgian National Championship. Supreme League. The 3rd round

20.08. 17:00. Zugdidi. "Gulia Tutberidze".
"Baia" (Zugdidi) - "Torpedo" (Kutaisi)
Referees: L. Silagava; I.Ukleba, S. Spitsin; Kh. Gagnidze.
Disqualified: Roin Oniani ("Baia").
It should be an interesting match because both teams have experienced players. Will Gia Megrelidze score a goal in goalposts of his native club? Megrelidze started championship with a scored goal in the match against "Wit Georgia". "Baia" was also near the victory but lost the match and it will try to compensate the lost points on its own field.
We cannot speak about "Torpedo" due to the match with "Olimp". Nestor Mumladze has good staff but it will be difficult for them (like other guest teams) to win in Zugdidi.

20.08. 17:00. Samtredia. "Erosi Manjgaladze".
"Samtredia" - "Sioni" (Bolnisi)
Referees: L. Kvaratskhelia; Zv. Erkvania, Z. Berulava; D. Kharitonashvili.
"Samtredia" annulled the 0:2 difference with "Spartaki" Tskhinvali in the first round. In spite of that Zaur Khachiperadze did not play in last season "Samtredia" is still favorite in the match with "Sioni". The main reason is that they will play on their own field. Also it is interesting contradistinction of two young head coaches. By the way, if we add age of Gela Sanaia ("Samtredia") to the age of Giorgi Kipiani ("Sioni") (32+32=64), the sum of their age will be less than some other coaches...
Last season "Sioni" hardly scored goals but however did not get many goals in its goalposts. "Samtredia" did the other way when they played 2:2 in the first round and "Sioni" played goalless draw.

21.08. 17:00. Poti. "Pazisi".
"Kolkheti" (Poti) - "Wit Georgia" (Tbilisi)
Referees: G. Vadachkoria; G. Chigogidze, O. Molodinashvili; G. Dograshvili.
Disqualified: Giorgi Janelidze ("Wit Georgia").
After a 5-year break, Poti will host Supreme League match which is quite interesting. "Kolkheti" has not played with "Wit Georgia" and other clubs for a long time. There was time when any Georgian club could hardly win in Poti - only 90's "Dinamo" was exclusion.
Though "Wit Georgia" won the first round but is is not that "Wit Georgia" which was last year and before that. There are new players in the club and people think if club of Merab Kochlashvili will be able to play at European tournaments. No one thought about this in last seasons. So, we are looking forward to watch playing of new "Wit Georgia".

21.08. 20:00. Zestaponi. "Davit Abashidze".
"Zestaponi" - "Spartaki" (Tskhinvali)
Referees: J. Khorava; A. Kokaia, K. Tepnadze; A. Krichashvili.
Disqualified: Giorgi Khidesheli, Mamuka Kobakhidze, Aleksi Benashvili ("Zestaponi").
"Zestaponi" is lucky to play against "Spartaki", not "Olimp" or "Dinamo". It would be difficult for them to play without two central defenders against strong clubs. Supposedly, Gia Geguchadze, head coach of "Zestaponi", will put Giorgi Oniani and Murtaz Daushvili in defense. Daushvili played in defense in the match with "Dinamo" Tbilisi when his club was left with 10 players . "Zestaponi" had to win this match. It is the start of the season but it is necessary to win points.
Let's see how a 37-year old goalkeeper Soso Grishikashvili will repulse attacks of "Zestaponi". A lot depends on him.

22.08. 18:30. Rustavi. "Poladi".
"Olimp" (Rustavi) - "Dinamo" (Tbilisi)
Referees: T. Gvantseladze; L. Mikeladze, M. Elikashvili; M. Beuklishvili.
Time passes, people talk about financial crisis and weak staff of "Dinamo". "Dinamo" proved that they are favorite of the National Championship. We can only praise head coach of "Dinamo" Kakha Kacharava - he does maximum with such staff. But we want this "maximum" not in the match against "Sturm" Graz but in high matters.
"Olimp" - "Dinamo": champoion with changed staff and the most titled club of the county. Both teams have problems in attack. Rustavi has only two forwards Irakli Modebadze and Giorgi Beriashvili. "Dinamo" will not have Mate Vatsadze because of muscle aches. Either Zviad Metreveli or Donald Jius will play in the main staff instead of Vatsadze. Let's speak about the previous matches of these two clubs: they won one match in last season ("Dinamo" 4:0, "Olimp" 1:0), two matches finished draw (0:0, 1:1). "Olimp" became champion 2010 in the match with "Dinamo" which finished draw. Now their chances are 50-50.



Ilia Nanobashvili