The 2022 Liga 3 was the sixth season under its current title and the 34th season of third tier football in Georgia. The regular two-round tournament began on 4 April and ended on 1 December[1] with promotion play-offs completed in 10 December.
| Season | 2022 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 4 April - 1 December |
| Champions | Dinamo-2 |
| Promoted | Dinamo-2 Kolkheti 1913 Kolkheti Khobi |
| Relegated | Tbilisi City |
| Matches played | 240 |
| Goals scored | 748 (3.12 per match) |
| Biggest home win | Varketili 10-0 Chikhura (29 September) |
| Biggest away win | Chikhura 0-7 Aragvi (6 October) |
| Highest scoring | Varketili 10-0 Chikhura (29 September) |
| Longest winning run | Dinamo-2 Kolkheti 1913 (7 matches) |
| Longest unbeaten run | Kolkheti 1913 (16) |
| Longest winless run | Chikhura (30) |
| Longest losing run | Chikhura (15) |
← 2021 2023 →
All statistics correct as of 10 December. | |
Review
editBased on GFF decision, the number of Liga 3 clubs was increased from 14 to 16 teams for this season. In contrast with the previous year, three teams were relegated, two clubs gained automatic promotion and two more qualified for play-offs.[2]
Both unbeaten at home, Dinamo-2 and Kolkheti 1913 sealed their promotion three rounds before the end of the season.[3][4] Kolkheti Khobi joined them after the play-offs.
Chikhura continued their horrible run in this league as well. Rooted to the foot of the table with a single point in thirty games, they suffered three relegations in three successive seasons.[5] Zestafoni, who faced financial difficulties after mid-season, also failed to stay up. Six more teams fought hard to avoid relegation. Eventually, Meshakhte, the last of the three Imeretian clubs, lost a crucial final match and ended up in the drop zone.[6]
Team changes
editThe following teams have changed division since the previous season:
To Liga 3editPromoted from Liga 4 Borjomi • Dinamo-2 • Irao • Zestafoni Relegated from Liga 2 |
From Liga 3editRelegated to Liga 4 Promoted to Liga 2 |
Teams and Stadiums
edit
Six former first-tier teams were competing in Liga 3 this season, namely Borjomi (2005-09), Chikhura Sachkhere (2012-20), Guria Lanchkhuti (1990–99, 2001–02, 2013–16), Kolkheti-1913 Poti (1990-2006, 2010-2013, 2014–18), Kolkheti Khobi (1990–92, 1999–2000) and Zestafoni (2004-15).
Clubs represented in the league this season are listed below in alphabetical order:
| Clubs | Position in 2021 | Location | Stadium | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aragvi | 5th | Dusheti | OMC* | Mtskheta-Mtianeti |
| Bakhmaro | 8th | Chokhatauri | Boris Paichadze | Guria |
| Borjomi | 3rd in Liga 4 | Borjomi | Jemal Zeinklishvili | Samtskhe-Javakheti |
| Chikhura | 10th in Erovnuli Liga 2 | Sachkhere | Centraluri | Imereti |
| Dinamo-2 | 1st in Liga 4 | Tbilisi | Dinamo Academy | Tbilisi |
| Gori | 6th | Gori | Kartli | Shida Kartli |
| Guria | 11th | Lanchkhuti | Evgrapi Shevardnadze | Guria |
| Irao | 4th in Liga 4 | Tbilisi | Spaeri | Tbilisi |
| Kolkheti | 9th | Khobi | Paata Tatarashvili | Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti |
| Kolkheti 1913 | 2nd | Poti | Fazisi | Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti |
| Merani-2 | 12th | Tbilisi | Olimpiuri Compleksi | Tbilisi |
| Meshakhte | 10th | Tkibuli | Temur Maghradze | Imereti |
| Saburtalo-2 | 7th | Tbilisi | Bendela | Tbilisi |
| Tbilisi City | 3rd | Tbilisi | Gldani SC* | Tbilisi |
| Varketili | 4th | Tbilisi | Varketili SC* | Tbilisi |
| Zestafoni | 2nd in Liga 4 | Zestafoni | David Abashidze | Imereti |
Note: OMC stands for Olympic Preparation Centre while SC means Football Centre.
League table
edit| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dinamo-2 (C, P) | 30 | 22 | 5 | 3 | 72 | 22 | +50 | 71 | Promotion to Erovnuli Liga 2 |
| 2 | Kolkheti 1913 (P) | 30 | 21 | 6 | 3 | 76 | 29 | +47 | 69 | |
| 3 | Aragvi | 30 | 16 | 9 | 5 | 56 | 25 | +31 | 57 | Qualification for promotion play-offs |
| 4 | Kolkheti (P, O) | 30 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 53 | 32 | +21 | 54 | |
| 5 | Varketili | 30 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 65 | 43 | +22 | 51 | |
| 6 | Gori | 30 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 58 | 38 | +20 | 50 | |
| 7 | Saburtalo-2 | 30 | 13 | 4 | 13 | 46 | 44 | +2 | 43 | |
| 8 | Borjomi | 30 | 12 | 5 | 13 | 47 | 40 | +7 | 41 | |
| 9 | Irao | 30 | 11 | 6 | 13 | 49 | 52 | −3 | 39 | |
| 10 | Bakhmaro | 30 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 38 | 42 | −4 | 38 | |
| 11 | Tbilisi City (R) | 30 | 11 | 5 | 14 | 38 | 48 | −10 | 38 | Resigned from the league in Winter 2023. |
| 12 | Guria | 30 | 11 | 4 | 15 | 42 | 49 | −7 | 37 | |
| 13 | Merani-2 | 30 | 11 | 4 | 15 | 37 | 50 | −13 | 37 | |
| 14 | Meshakhte (T) | 30 | 10 | 5 | 15 | 35 | 39 | −4 | 35 | Readmitted |
| 15 | Zestafoni (T) | 30 | 4 | 3 | 23 | 18 | 77 | −59 | 15 | |
| 16 | Chikhura (T) | 30 | 0 | 1 | 29 | 19 | 119 | −100 | 1 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Head-to-head away goals scored (only if two teams); 6) Goal difference; 7) Goals scored.
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated; (T) Qualified, but not yet for the particular phase indicated
According to the existing regulations, the bottom three teams were supposed to be relegated. However, on 17 January 2023 the Football Federation announced that all of them would stay up and replace those three clubs, among them Tbilisi City, who had failed to get a Liga 3 license for the upcoming season.[7]
Results
editRegular season
editPromotion play-offs
editFirst leg
| WIT Georgia | 0–0 | Aragvi |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
| Kolkheti Khobi | 1–0 | Rustavi |
|---|---|---|
Chedia  8' |
Report |
Second leg
| Aragvi | 0–1 | WIT Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Nachkebia 45' |
| Rustavi | 0–1 | Kolkheti Khobi |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Toradze 72' |
Following these matches Kolkheti Khobi achieved promotion to Erovnuli Liga 2, while Aragvi remained in Liga 3 for the next season.
References
edit- ^ "ეროვნული ლიგა 3-ის კალენდარი (in Georgian)". fczestafoni.ge. 17 January 2022.
- ^ "სფფ-ში აღმასკომის სხდომა გაიმართა". 1tv.ge (in Georgian). 22 February 2022.
- ^ "Dinamo-2 in Liga 2 from next year". fcdinamo.ge. 11 November 2022.
- ^ "ლიგა 2-ში „კოლხეთი 1913" და „დინამო თბილისი 2" ითამაშებენ". 1tv.ge (in Georgian), 14 November 2022.
- ^ "ქართული ფეხბურთის ორი დიდი ტკივილი..." lelo.ge (in Georgian), 8 November 2022.
- ^ "Liga 3, 2022". gff.ge (in Georgian).
- ^ "მეშახტე", "ზესტაფონი", "ჩიხურა": იმერული სამაია ლიგა 3-ში რჩება!". fczestafoni.ge (in Georgian). 17 January 2023.
- ^ "Liga 3 results". soccerway.com.