1990 FC Guria season

Last updated

Guria
1990 season
Manager Murtaz Khurtsilava
Gigla Imnadze
Stadium Guria stadium, Lanchkhuti
Umaglesi Liga 2nd of 18
Georgian Cup Winners
Top goalscorer Otar Korgalidze (21)
Biggest win8–1 v Shevardeni 1906
(away, 23 August)
Biggest defeat2–5 v Mertskhali
(away, 23 September)
←  1989
1991  →

The 1990 season was the 66th year in Guria's history and first season in the Umaglesi Liga, which was launched by the Georgian Football Federation following its exit from Soviet football. In addition to the league season, the team also participated in the 1990 Georgian Cup, becoming the first winners of this competition. [1]

Contents

Overview

In early February 1990, when Guria were busy with pre-season preparations in Gagra, a nation-wide debate arose whether Georgian teams should continue taking part in Soviet competitions. The Gurians were in a delicate situation when, from one hand, they would not mind exploiting the success resulted from a hard-fought promotion battle in 1989 but, from the other one, could not ignore strong national aspirations directed against anything Soviet. The club seemed divided with the management inclined to opt in favour of the Top League, but it faced opposition from players who also had their say. Eventually, when supporters of a national league idea prevailed, Guria enthusiastically embraced it. [2] They had to go through certain changes, though. Manager Mykhailo Fomenko who had coached the team for last three seasons, as well as several players from other republics departed. Instead, two footballers were signed from Lithuania who likewise broke ties with Soviet football.

As 18 teams from across four divisions formed the Umaglesi Liga, Guria were in a pole position along with Dinamo Tbilisi, now renamed as Iberia. They had an excellent start to the season, winning the opening five games with a 14–0 aggregate score. But then the team stumbled, losing three away matches in a row. The race was still wide open until 19 October when Guria sustained a painful home defeat to Iberia in a must-win tie. [3] With this loss, their remarkable 55-game unbeaten home run stretching from 7 April 1988 also came to an end.

The team took revenge on Iberia in the cup semi-finals with a dominant 3–0 aggregate win and faced Tskhumi in a final game held in Tbilisi. Besik Pridonashvili became a hero again, netting an extra-time winner this time. [4]

Guria under coach Gigla Imnadze ended the season in a jubilant mood, becoming the first Georgian cup holders in history and runners-up of the national league. Midfielder Otar Korgalidze was the team topscorer with 21 goals while young defender Gocha Gujabidze was named Discovery of the Year. [5]

Statistics

Standings (part)

PosTeam
PldWDLGFGAGDPts
1 Iberia Tbilisi (C)3424649123+6878
2 Guria Lanchkhuti 3422667320+5372
3 Gorda Rustavi 3422396333+3069
4 Kutaisi 3420596233+2965
5 Kolkheti-1913 Poti 34195105331+2262
Source: rsssf.org
Rules for classification: 1st points; 2nd matches won; 3rd head-to-head
(C) Champions

Matches

31 March1 Guria 1 – 0 Dila  
4 April2 Guria 6 – 0 Liakhvi  
12 April3 Guria 2 – 0 Amirani  
17 April4 Odishi 0 – 1 Guria  
22 April5 Guria 4 – 0 Shevardeni 1906  
28 April6 Kolkheti Khobi 1 – 0 Guria  
2 May7 Guria 3 – 0 Tskhumi  
7 May8 Kutaisi 2 – 1 Guria  
11 May9 Guria 2 – 0 Mertskhali  
15 May10 Sanavardo 1 – 0 Guria  
20 May11 Guria 2 – 0 Samgurali  
1 June12 Guria 0 – 0 Batumi  
10 June14 Guria 6 – 1 Mziuri  
15 June15 Iveria 0 – 4 Guria  
20 June13 Iberia 1 – 1 Guria  
25 June16 Guria 2 – 0 Kolkheti Poti  
2 July17 Gorda 0 – 0 Guria  
9 August19 Liakhvi 1 – 5 Guria  
13 August20 Amirani 0 – 0 Guria  
19 August21 Guria 5 – 0 Odishi  
23 August22 Shevardeni 1 – 8 Guria  
1 September23 Guria 3 – 0 Kolkheti Khobi  
10 September24 Tskhumi 1 – 3 Guria  
14 September25 Guria 2 – 2 Kutaisi  
23 September26 Mertshali 5 – 2 Guria  
27 September27 Dila 1 – 0 Guria  
4 October28 Samgurali 1 – 2 Guria  
14 October29 Batumi 0 – 1 Guria  
19 October30 Guria 0 – 1 Iberia  
29 October31 Mziuri 0 – 0 Guria  
3 November32 Guria 3 – 1 Iveria  
8 November33 Kolkheti Poti 0 – 1 Guria  
12 November34 Guria 2 – 0 Gorda  

Source [6]

Appearances and goals

Pos.PlayerDOBL AppL Soccerball shade.svg
Flag of Georgia (1990-2004).svg Mamuka Abuseridze19622-
Flag of Georgia (1990-2004).svg Avtandil Kantaria195532–
Flag of Georgia (1990-2004).svg Badri Danelia 1962253
Flag of Georgia (1990-2004).svg Gocha Gujabidze 1971201
Flag of Georgia (1990-2004).svg Temur Kabisashvili 1967270
Flag of Georgia (1990-2004).svg Giorgi Khurtsilava197140
Flag of Georgia (1990-2004).svg Roman Kuridze1965160
Flag of Georgia (1990-2004).svg Kakha Kvintradze1971160
Flag of Lithuania.svg Romas Mažeikis 1964230
Flag of Georgia (1990-2004).svg Gocha Tkebuchava 1963273
Flag of Georgia (1990-2004).svg Davit Tsomaia 1967302
Flag of Georgia (1990-2004).svg Zaza Bakuradze1968121
Flag of Georgia (1990-2004).svg Levan Baratashvili 1964230
Flag of Georgia (1990-2004).svg Gia Chkhaidze1970300
Flag of Georgia (1990-2004).svg Otar Korgalidze 19603121
Flag of Georgia (1990-2004).svg Teimuraz Loria197150
Flag of Georgia (1990-2004).svg Nugzar Mikaberidze 1963254
Flag of Lithuania.svg Robertas Fridrikas 19672011
Flag of Georgia (1990-2004).svg Besik Pridonashvili 19613213
Flag of Georgia (1990-2004).svg Davit Ugrelidze19642814

Source: [7]

Georgian Cup

Round of 32

1st Margveti 2–0 Guria Zestaponi
2nd Guria 4–0 Margveti Lanchkhuti

Round of 16

1st Mziuri 1–0 Guria Gali
2nd Guria 4–2 Mziuri Lanchkhuti

Quarterfinals

1st Guria 5–1 Kutaisi Lanchkhuti
2nd Kutaisi 1–0 Guria Kutaisi

Semifinals

1st Iberia 0–1 Guria Tbilisi
2nd Guria 2–0 Iberia Lanchkhuti

Final

Guria 1–0
(a.e.t.)		 Tskhumi Tbilisi
Pridonashvili Soccerball shade.svg95'Stadium: Boris Paichadze National Stadium
Attendance: 35,000
Referee: Merab Malaguradze

References

  1. ↑ "პირველად იყო ლანჩხუთი! ისევ ნოემბერი და ისევ ფრიდონაშვილი – 35 წელი "გურიას" ისტორიული გამარჯვებიდან…" [35 years since historic victory]. guriatoday.ge (in Georgian). 18 November 2025.
  2. ↑ ""გურიას" სიტყვა გადამწყვეტი აღმოჩნდა" [Guria's position proved decisive]. guriatoday.ge (in Georgian). 15 February 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  3. ↑ "Guria v Iberia match report". fcdinamo.ge (in Georgian). Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  4. ↑ "ეროვნული ნაკრების ისტორია". mygoals.ge (in Georgian). Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  5. ↑ "ფრაგმენტები ისტორიიდან" (in Georgian). Lelo. 27 March 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  6. ↑ "1990 Umaglesi Liga fixtures". tribuna.com. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  7. ↑ "Guria's squad in 1990". Footballfacts. Retrieved 4 January 2025.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.