FC Rustavi explained

FC Rustavi should not be confused with Metalurgi Rustavi.

Clubname:FC Rustavi
Fullname:Football Club Rustavi
Capacity:3,000
Coach:Varlam Kilasonia
Position:3rd of 16 in Liga 3 (promoted)
Website:fc-rustavi.ge
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FC Rustavi (Georgian: საფეხბურთო კლუბი რუსთავი) is a Georgian football club based in the city of Rustavi. They compete in Erovnuli Liga 2, the 2nd tier of the national football system.

Founded in 2015, it is one of the youngest participants of the Georgian football leagues.

The team has spent two seasons in the first division.

History

FC Rustavi have no legal connections with any of the football clubs previously existing in the city (Gorda, Metalurgi, Olimpi). As a new team, it was established on 3 July 2015.[1]

League performance

Rustavi debuted in the second division the same year and achieved a modest goal of retaining a place in it by finishing in midtable.[2]

Contrary to expectations, in 2016 they emerged among the favourites, managed to prevail in the promotion contest and under manager Varlam Kilasonia won the league. However, due to the season being transitional to the spring-autumn system, no team was promoted.[3]

Despite a poor start in 2017, the club drastically improved and after a ten-match winning run claimed the first place with automatic promotion to the first tier.[4]

Rustavi signed some experienced players such as Nukri Revishvili, Mamuka Kobakhidze and Otar Martsvaladze and in the very first game in the Erovnuli Liga obtained three points at Dinamo Tbilisi. But frequent changes of the squad throughout the season did not contribute to stable results and finally the team finished in the 7th place.[5]

The club was struggling for most of the regular season in 2019. Eventually, Rustavi could have remained in the league in case of a play-off victory over Telavi, but they were defeated in both games.[6]

Back in Liga 2, the next season Rustavi joined the promotion battle and remained in a play-off range until the last game. However, the results of the final matchday turned out unfavourable. Yet, in this season Rustavi recorded their biggest win 10–0.[7]

Starting from 2021, the club took part in two relegation battles. Initially, Rustavi prevailed over Kolkheti 1913 due to away goals, but in the next season they lost both matches to Kolkheti Khobi, which resulted in their relegation to the third division.[8]

During the 2023 season, Rustavi were battling for an automatic promotion spot. Although the team suffered a 4–7 aggregate defeat from Locomotive in play-offs, ultimately they were admitted back to the 2nd division after Shukura's disqualification by the Federation.[9]

Georgian Cup

Rustavi have twice reached the quarterfinal stage of this competition.

As a lower league side, they came close to the sensation during the game against Dinamo Tbilisi in 2017. After a goalless draw in regular and extra times, the winner was determined on penalties.[10]

The same scenario unfolded two years later when Rustavi's Cup campaign was stopped by Torpedo Kutaisi.[11]

Seasons

SeasonLeaguePos P W DL GFGAPts
2015/162nd9/18 34 10 13 11 33 33 43 1st round
2016bgcolor=Gold1/916 12 2 240 15 32
2017bgcolor=Gold1/1036 26 5 5 72 25 83 finals
20181st7/10 36 8 13 15 33 4437 finals
2019bgcolor=LimeGreen8/10 36 9 11 16 40 56 38 finals
20202nd4/10 18 756352726
20219/10 36 11 6 19 46 5839 finals
2022bgcolor=LimeGreen7/10 28 6 5 17 34 5423 finals
20233/16 30 194 7 63 31 61 1st round

Top goalscorers

Season Div.NameGoals
2015–16 2nd Zviad Metreveli, Zaza Tsitskishvili6
2016 2nd Data Sitchinava12
2017 2nd 30
2018 1st Beka Kavtaradze, Zaza Tsitskishvili,
Otar Martsvaladze
4
2019 1st 8
2020 2nd Toma Tabatadze13
2021 2nd Paata Kiteishvili12
2022 2nd Bantu Mzwakali9
2023 3rd Bachuki Gotsadze10

Penalty shoot-outs

SeasonDateCompetitionRoundOpponentVenueResultScore
201713 September 2017Georgian CupQuarterfinalsDinamo TbilisiHomeLost0–3
201925 September 2019Georgian CupQuarterfinalsTorpedo KutaisiHomeLost2–4

Squad

As of 8 April 2024[12]

Managers

Club staff

Position Name
General DirectorBachana Tskhadadze
Head coach Varlam Kilasonia
Assistant coach
Goalkeeper coach Andro Koroshinadze

Honours

Notable players

Other teams

Rustavi also have a reserve team, which participates in Group A of Regionuli Liga.[14] Their home ground is the Poladi stadium.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: რუსთავი: აღზევება . lelo.ge (in Georgian) . 5 December 2017.
  2. Web site: 2015/16 regular season . soccerway.com.
  3. Web site: პირველი ლიგა ოთხმა კლუბმა გაინაღდა . mysports.ge (in Georgian), 25 November 2016.
  4. Web site: ეროვნული ლიგა 2-ის 2017 წლის სეზონი დასრულდა. fanebi.com (in Georgian) . 25 November 2017.
  5. Web site: Erovnuli Liga in 2018 . flashscore.com.
  6. Web site: თელავმა" "რუსთავი" დაამარცხა და ეროვნულ ლიგაში დაწინაურდა . 1tv.ge (in Georgian) . 11 December 2017.
  7. Web site: ეროვნული ლიგა 2. "რუსთავმა" 10:0 მოიგო . sportall.ge (in Georgian) . 29 November 2020.
  8. Web site: ეროვნულ ლიგა 2-ში ხობის "კოლხეთი" და "ვიტ ჯორჯია" ითამაშებენ . 1tv.ge (in Georgian), 10 December 2022.
  9. Web site: "შუქურა" ლიგა 4-ში დაქვეთდა, ლიგა 2-ში კი "რუსთავი" ითამაშებს - ეროვნულმა ლიგამ ლიცენზირების შედეგები გამოაქვეყნა #1TVSPORT "შუქურა" ლიგა 4-ში დაქვეთდა, ლიგა 2-ში კი "რუსთავი" ითამაშებს . 1tv.ge (in Georgian) . 11 January 2024.
  10. Web site: რუსთავი-დინამო (თბ) 0:0 (პენ. 0:3) - რევიშვილის საოცრებანი. sportall.ge . 14 September 2017.
  11. Web site: ქუთაისის "ტორპედო" დავით ყიფიანის სახელობის თასის ნახევარფინალშია. megatv.ge (in Georgian) . 25 September 2019.
  12. Web site: Rustavi players . eliga.ge.
  13. Web site: რუსთავს ისევ კილასონია გაწვრთნის. 1tv.ge . KA . 16 February 2023.
  14. Web site: 2024 Regional league . gff.ge.