Gagra cruise through Gareji in Kipiani Cup
Gagra saw off Gareji 4:1 in the Round of 16 of the David Kipiani Cup on Saturday. The visitors booked their place in the quarter-finals with a performance that showed they had the match under control from the opening exchanges. Gareji had started brightly enough, but Gagra's efficiency proved decisive.
L. Kalandadze gave the home side hope when he found the net in the nineteenth minute. To be fair, it was a well-worked move, but Gagra responded quickly. A. Peikrishvili levelled before the quarter-hour mark and then V. Bliznichenko put the visitors ahead just twelve minutes later. By then, the game was beginning to tilt.
A. Andreychuk made it three on the half-hour boundary, slotting home to extend the lead. Gareji looked shell-shocked, and the visitors sealed the result early in the second half. Peikrishvili completed his brace in the fifty-fifth minute, ending any lingering hopes of a comeback.
Gagra dominated the statistics as well as the scoreboard. They registered 126 attacks compared to 101 for the hosts and recorded 6 shots on target against just 1 off target. Gareji managed 6 shots off target but only 1 on target, which tells you everything about the quality of chances created. Possession favoured the visitors at 56 per cent.
The result means Gagra progress to the next round, while Gareji's cup campaign comes to an end. They had won their last league meeting against BSA 2:0, but this was a different proposition. Gagra's consistency in recent results — including a victory over Samtshkhe Akhaltsikhe — has built momentum that carried them here.