League

Portsmouth
Spectators: 8127 (Terracing: 6000, Seating: 1957, VIP seats: 170) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Pavel Mkheidze started the match with the kick off. Lukhum Gabelia showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Merdan Goraniskov, who was totally free with the ball in the 3rd minute. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Pavel Mkheidze during the 3rd minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. A collision led to Taunton getting a freekick after 3 minutes play. Pavel Mkheidze hit a great ball. In the 10th minute, Mirian Kobiashvili got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. Mirian Kobiashvili received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 15th minute. Lukhum Gabelia tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Pavel Mkheidze was shown his second yellow card after 17 minutes, following a rather ugly tackle on opponent. That was the end of his participation in the match. After a rather tough play, Taunton's Pavel Mkheidze got a free kick in the 18th minute. Mirian Kobiashvili who was well placed in front of the goal fired away a dangerous shot that in the 22ndth minute tested the skills of Lukhum Gabelia when he managed to save the team from getting behind. When the match had been going on for 28 minutes, AVE's Tsotne Salia got an opportunity to shoot a penalty. He stayed cool and waited for the goalkeeper to move, before he confidently shot the ball into the goal, to the left of Lukhum Gabelia. Bakhar Labadze received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 32nd minute. Lukhum Gabelia tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Lukhum Gabelia made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Bakhar Labadze in the 36th minute of play. AVE's Bakhar Labadze got a good chance for a goal in the 39th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Aydin Babadishev received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 41st minute. Okhoropir Torotadze tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. After a defensive mix-up in Taunton's zone, Bakhar Labadze stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Lukhum Gabelia came out of the goal and Bakhar Labadze tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. 48 minutes into the match, Taunton's goalkeeper Lukhum Gabelia had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Mirian Kobiashvili.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Bakhar Labadze made a kick off. Lukhum Gabelia stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Mirian Kobiashvili's shot from short distance in the 53rd minute. Mirian Kobiashvili sent away a hard shot on goal in the 54th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. AVE's Merdan Goraniskov got a good chance for a goal in the 59th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. In the 61st minute Nikoloz Shalikashvili shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Lukhum Gabelia saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Mirian Kobiashvili might have been able to make a better finish in the 65th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Lukhum Gabelia. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Mirian Kobiashvili ran back to his position shaking his head. Taunton's Lukhum Gabelia played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Mirian Kobiashvili in the 67th minute of play. If Bakhar Labadze had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 70th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Lukhum Gabelia showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Mirian Kobiashvili in the 73rd minute of the match. In the 76th minute Bakhar Labadze shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Lukhum Gabelia saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Lukhum Gabelia showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Bakhar Labadze, who was totally free with the ball in the 78th minute. Okhoropir Torotadze showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Aydin Babadishev in the 85th minute of the match. In the 85th minute, Anzor Pachalia hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Taunton's players left the field with heads hung low after losing a match that had been finely balanced throughout.