League

ASCA Stadium
Spectators: 9259 (Terracing: 6946, Seating: 2129, VIP seats: 184) The mood of the audience was pleasant when Tsotne Burduli made the kick off which started today's match. If Tsotne Burduli had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 5th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. In the 12th minute Djondo Milakiev shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Xiao Yuan Zhen saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. 14 minutes into the match, Andrey Mingrelsky notched a goal, 1-0, to the right of Georgia Football Club's Valiko Sulaberidze. Valiko Sulaberidze was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. Xiao Yuan Zhen took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Sabir Gvaramadze, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. In the 19th minute Djojiki Aragvsky shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Xiao Yuan Zhen saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Kang Jun was astounded when the referee showed him the red card after a seemingly innocent challenge, 22 minutes into the match. In a very dangerous position, a player in Canberra Raiders fell when an opponent tried to get the ball from him in the 21st minute. Penalty! Tsotne Burduli struck a weak shot in the 30th minute. Valiko Sulaberidze didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Canberra Raiders. Canberra Raiders's Xiao Yuan Zhen played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Sachino Nad in the 32nd minute of play. 39 minutes into the match, Andrey Mingrelsky notched a goal, 2-0, to the right of Georgia Football Club's Valiko Sulaberidze. Valiko Sulaberidze was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. No-one was surprised that the home team were leading 2-0 at half-time.

The wind increased when Sabir Gvaramadze made the kick off in the second half. When Andrey Mingrelsky fell near the penalty area in the 56th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Canberra Raiders's protests and gave Andrey Mingrelsky a yellow card for diving instead. Canberra Raiders's Xiao Yuan Zhen proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 63rd minute of the match, managed to save Canberra Raiders from getting a goal against them. 64 minutes into the match, Canberra Raiders's Tsotne Burduli sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Valiko Sulaberidze narrowly saved just below the crossbar. Canberra Raiders's Xiao Yuan Zhen played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Djondo Milakiev in the 69th minute of play. Xiao Yuan Zhen made an important save on a dangerous shot by Sachino Nad in the 71st minute. The audience thought a goal was coming when Sachino Nad got free with Xiao Yuan Zhen in the 75th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Xiao Yuan Zhen didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Sachino Nad went, in the 77th minute, to the upper right corner, 2-1 was the resulting score. After a rather tough play, Georgia Football Club's Djojiki Aragvsky got a free kick in the 80th minute. Xiao Yuan Zhen made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Sabir Gvaramadze in the 82nd minute of play. Valiko Sulaberidze showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Tsotne Burduli in the 83rd minute of the match. When the match had gone on for 88 minutes, Tsotne Burduli put it in 3-1 from a short distance just to the right of Valiko Sulaberidze. In the 96th match minute, Canberra Raiders was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Andrey Mingrelsky to maneuver through the defense. Canberra Raiders's fans were exulted and cheered after their team won in a match that could easily have gone the other way.