FC Tskhinvali is a defunct Georgian football club, which in mid-2010s spent four seasons in the top tier of the national league.
Despite the name, due to the enduring Georgian–Ossetian conflict they were unable to host their opponents in the city of Tskhinvali, playing home games instead in Georgian-controlled areas, mostly in Gori, Tbilisi and Rustavi.
In early 2020, the club was disqualified from Liga 3 after their failure to solve a severe financial crisis.
Several times the club has undergone name changes: Spartaki until 1990 Liakhvi from 1990 to 2003 Tskhinvali from 2003 to 2007 Spartaki from 2007 to 2015 Tskhinvali after 2015
History
The original Spartaki Tskhinvali were founded in 1936, and during the time of the Soviet Union were a mainstay in the regional Georgian League, which was the fourth division in the Soviet league table. The club's biggest success came in 1987 when they won the regional Georgian Cup.
With the creation of independent Georgian league the club changed their name into Liakhvi and played several games of the first season until being withdrawn from the competition.
The team was restored in 2007, in an effort for the Georgian government to regain control over the break-away region of South Ossetia.Displaced Georgians keep memories alive with soccer in exile - Eurasianet Having won the second league in 2013, they were promoted to the Umaglesi Liga.
In January 2015 the team was renamed as FC Tskhinvali.Georgia 2015/16 - RSSSF In 2014/15 the club reached semifinals of the national Cup for the first time, but failed to overcome Dinamo Tbilisi (1–2 on aggregate). Their championship game four days prior to the return leg ended with Tskhinvali's sensational 4–1 victory.
In the same season under Kakha Kacharava the team reached their highest position in the league by finishing 4th and qualified for 2015–16 Europa League competition. FC Tskhinvali qualified to 2015–16 Europa League first qualifying round – 2015–16 UEFA Europa League list of participants.
Tskhinvali were relegated from Umaglesi Liga after the transitional 2016 season. For three years the team competed in the second division. After an automatic relegation they were supposed to play in Liga 3 the next year, although unable to cope with long-standing financial difficulties, the club was expelled from the league in January 2020.
Honours Georgian Soviet Cup Champions: 1987Georgia – List of Cup Winners – RSSSF Pirveli Liga Champions: 2013 Bronze medal winner: 1997, 2005
Last squad
Eurocups record Season Competition Round Club Home Away 2015–16 UEFA Europa League 1Q FC Botoșani 1–3 1–1
Notes 1Q: First qualifying round
Top scorers + Season Div. Name Goals 2012–13 2nd Zviad Metreveli 21 2013–14 1st Irakli Ekhvaia, Tornike Tukhareli 4 2014–15 1st Nika Kacharava 12 2015–16 1st Nika Kacharava 13 2016 1st Jaba Dvali 7 2017 2nd Tamaz Makatsaria 21 2018 2nd Zviad Metreveli 8 2019 2nd Data Sitchinava 7
Managers
Badri Kvaratskhelia (Oct 1, 2010–1?) Vladimer Khachidze (Sept 15, 2011 – Oct 30, 2013) Kakhaber Kacharava (Nov 1, 2013–) Gocha Chikovani ( - April 2017) Malkhaz Latsabidze (May 2017 - May 2018) Yuri Gabiskiria (June - August 2018) Roberto Landi (Sep - Oct 2018) Malkhaz Latsabidze (Nov - Dec 2018) Xavier Munoz Sanchez (Mar - Jun 2019) Vladimer Vashadze (Jul - Sept 2019) Giga Kutivadze (Oct - Dec 2019)
External links Page on Soccerway
References