Saba Lobjanidze (Order of Honor) (Georgian: საბა ლობჟანიძე, romanized: saba lobzhanidze, pronounced [saba lobʒanidze]; born 18 December 1994) is a Georgian professional footballer who plays for Major League Soccer club Atlanta United and the Georgia national team.
 Saba Lobjanidze with Atlanta United | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 18 December 1994 | ||
| Place of birth | Tbilisi, Georgia | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Right winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Atlanta United | ||
| Number | 9 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2004–2007 | Norchi Dinamoeli | ||
| 2007–2009 | Tbilisi | ||
| 2009–2013 | Dinamo Tbilisi | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2013–2014 | Dinamo Tbilisi II | 19 | (5) |
| 2014–2017 | Dinamo Tbilisi | 59 | (12) |
| 2016 | → Chikhura Sachkhere (loan) | 11 | (10) |
| 2017–2019 | Randers | 84 | (28) |
| 2020–2021 | MKE Ankaragücü | 52 | (4) |
| 2021–2023 | Hatayspor | 61 | (9) |
| 2023 | → Fatih Karagumruk (loan) | 10 | (2) |
| 2023– | Atlanta United | 49 | (14) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2012–2013 | Georgia U19 | 4 | (0) |
| 2014–2016 | Georgia U21 | 8 | (3) |
| 2017– | Georgia | 37 | (3) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 November 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19:55, 22 June 2024 (UTC). | |||
Club career
editBorn in Tbilisi, Lobjanidze started playing for Norchi Dinamoeli at the age of 10. Later he joined Dinamo Tbilisi.
Randers
editIn June 2017, Lobjanidze signed a three-year contract with Randers.[1] In April 2018, in six games Lobjhanidze scored six times for Randers, including a hat-trick against Sønderjyske, which won him the Player of the Month award among Georgian football players. Besides, he was twice named in team of the week in the Danish Superliga.[2]
MKE Ankaragücü
editOn 30 January 2020, Lobjanidze signed with Turkish club MKE Ankaragücü.[3] He made his debut on 2 February in a 1–1 league draw against Kasımpaşa.[4]
Hatayspor
editIn June 2021, Lobjanidze signed a three-year contract with Hatayspor, after Ankaragücü had relegated from the Süper Lig.[5]
Following a devastating earthquake in Turkey and subsequent withdrawal of Hatayspor from the league in February 2023, he joined Fatih Karagümrük on loan until the end of the season.[6]
Atlanta United
edit
In early August 2023, Lobjanidze moved to MLS club Atlanta United on a three-year deal.[7] He finished the 2023 MLS Regular Season with 3 goals and 4 assists in 9 games.[8]
On 30 May 2024, Saba Lobjanidze was named Player of the Matchday after his first career MLS brace guided Atlanta United to 3-1 win at Inter Miami CF.[9] On 20 July 2024, Lobjanidze became the sixth player in club history to record at least 20 goal contributions in their first 30 matches with the team.[10] Lobjanidze finished the MLS Regular Season with 9 goals and 3 assists in 30 matches.[11] His goal on the final matchday of the season against Orlando City helped Atlanta United to earn a spot in the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs. He then went on to score against Inter Miami CF on 25 October 2024 in the first game of the series. Atlanta United went on to win the series against Inter Miami CF.
International career
editLobjanidze made his debut for the Georgia national team on 23 January 2017 in a friendly against Uzbekistan, scoring one of the two goals of his team.[12] In 2024, Lobjanidze was called up by Georgia for the 2024 European Championships.[13]
Career statistics
editClub
edit- As of match played 9 November 2024[14]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Dinamo Tbilisi II | 2012–13 | Pirveli Liga | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2013–14 | Pirveli Liga | 18 | 5 | – | – | – | 18 | 5 | ||||
| Total | 19 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 5 | ||
| Dinamo Tbilisi | 2014–15 | Umaglesi Liga | 24 | 1 | 6 | 1 | – | 1[b] | 0 | 31 | 2 | |
| 2015–16 | Umaglesi Liga | 15 | 2 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 16 | 2 | |||
| 2017 | Erovnuli Liga | 13 | 7 | – | – | – | 13 | 7 | ||||
| Total | 52 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 60 | 11 | ||
| Chikhura (loan) | 2016 | Umaglesi Liga | 12 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 2[c] | 0 | – | 17 | 11 | |
| Randers | 2017–18 | Danish Superliga | 29 | 9 | 2 | 1 | – | [d]4 | 3 | 35 | 13 | |
| 2018–19 | Danish Superliga | 37 | 8 | – | – | – | 37 | 8 | ||||
| 2019–20 | Danish Superliga | 15 | 8 | – | – | – | 15 | 8 | ||||
| Total | 81 | 25 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 87 | 29 | ||
| MKE Ankaragücü | 2019–20 | Süper Lig | 15 | 1 | – | – | – | 15 | 1 | |||
| 2020–21 | Süper Lig | 37 | 3 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 38 | 3 | |||
| Total | 52 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 4 | ||
| Hatayspor | 2021–22 | Süper Lig | 37 | 8 | 3 | 0 | – | – | 40 | 8 | ||
| 2022–23 | Süper Lig | 21 | 1 | – | – | – | 21 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 58 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 61 | 9 | ||
| Fatih Karagümrük (loan) | 2022–23 | Süper Lig | 10 | 2 | – | – | – | 10 | 2 | |||
| Atlanta United | 2023 | MLS | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | – | 3[e] | 0 | 15 | 3 | |
| 2024 | MLS | 34 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 2[f] | 1 | – | 37 | 11 | ||
| Total | 46 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 49 | 14 | ||
| Career total | 330 | 77 | 16 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 358 | 85 | ||
- ^ Includes Georgian Cup, Danish Cup, Turkish Cup
- ^ Appearance in Supercup
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League qualification round
- ^ Appearances in play-offs
- ^ Appearances in MLS Cup Playoffs
- ^ Appearances in Leagues Cup
International
edit- As of 22 June 2024
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | 2017 | 3 | 1 |
| 2018 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 36 | 3 | |
- Scores and results list Georgia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Lobzhanidze goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23 January 2017 | The Sevens Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates |  Uzbekistan |
2–1 | 2–2 | Friendly |
| 2 | 10 June 2019 | Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark |  Denmark |
1–1 | 1–5 | UEFA Euro 2020 qualification |
| 3 | 25 March 2023 | Batumi Stadium, Batumi, Georgia |  Mongolia |
6–1 | 6–1 | Friendly |
Honours
editDinamo Tbilisi
References
edit- ^ "BRANDVARM GEORGIER TIL RANDERS FC" (in Danish). randersfc.dk. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
- ^ "აპრილის საუკეთესო – საბა ლობჟანიძე". worldsport.ge (in Georgian). 5 May 2018.
- ^ "Saba Lobjanidze solgt til Ankaragücü". randersfc.dk (in Danish). 30 January 2020. Archived from the original on 1 February 2020.
- ^ "Ankaragücü vs. Kasımpaşa – 2 February 2020". Soccerway. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
- ^ Hoffskov, Ole (23 June 2021). "Tidligere Superliga-stjerne skifter klub". Tipsbladet.dk (in Danish).
- ^ "საბა ლობჟანიძე ანდრეა პირლოს ხელმძღვანელობით ითამაშებს: ტრანსფერი დადასტურდა". worldsport.ge (in Georgian). Retrieved 18 February 2023.
- ^ "Atlanta United signs winger Saba Lobjanidze from Turkish Süper Lig". atlutd.com. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
- ^ atlutd. "Saba Lobjanidze | Atlanta United FC". atlutd. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
- ^ mlssoccer. "Atlanta United's Saba Lobzhanidze named Player of the Matchday | MLSSoccer.com". mlssoccer. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
- ^ atlutd. "First professional brace earns Stian Gregersen spot on MLS Team of the Matchday | Atlanta United FC". atlutd. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
- ^ mlssoccer. "Saba Lobjanidze | MLSsoccer.com". mlssoccer. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- ^ "Uzbekistan draws with Georgia in friendly". The Tashkent Times. 24 January 2017.
- ^ Roberson, Doug. "Atlanta United's Saba Lobjanidze called up by Georgia for European Championships". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ISSN 1539-7459. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
- ^ Saba Lobzhanidze at Soccerway
- ^ "Lobjanidze, Saba". National Football Teams. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
External links
edit- Saba Lobzhanidze – UEFA competition record (archive)
- Saba Lobzhanidze at Soccerway
- Saba Lobzhanidze at National-Football-Teams.com