Dila edged past Samgurali 2:1 in the quarter-finals of the David Kipiani Cup on Tuesday evening. The match stretched into extra time before G. Kobakhidze found the decisive goal at 120+1 minutes. It was a tense affair that demanded patience from both sides.
А. Tali opened the scoring just before the interval with a 45th-minute strike. The hosts dominated possession at 62 per cent and created the better chances. Samgurali had to dig deep to stay in the contest after going behind.
N. Tsetskhladze equalised six minutes into the second period at 58 minutes. The momentum shifted briefly but Dila retained control of the game. By then the hosts had already registered 198 attacks compared to 144 for their visitors.
The match went to extra time after the 90 minutes ended level. Kobakhidze's late effort in the 121st minute proved the difference. And here's the thing — Dila had only one shot on target in regular time but made it count.
The statistics tell an uneven story. Samgurali registered four shots on target against one, yet could not find the back of the net until extra time. The visitors worked hard to stay in the game but could not break through.
Eight yellow cards were shown during the contest, with players on both sides receiving cautions. Dila's Ryan went off early at 29 minutes, while Gean Rodrigues picked up a booking late in extra time at 119 minutes.
The result means Dila advances to the semi-finals of the Cup. Samgurali's campaign comes to an end despite a spirited performance. The hosts had won three of their last five matches before this quarter-final clash.