| Dinamo Tbilisi exited the Champions League at the earliest possible stage after a disastrous 3-0 loss to SK Tirana followed by a 4-2 defeat on penalties. Dinamo had defeated Tirana 3-0 in Tbilisi the week before and despite Dinamo's defensive frailties no-one expected Tirana to win so easily. Dinamo started the game well limiting Tirana's attacks and dealing with most things comfortably. However once Lici scored after 11 minutes this seemed to give Tirana extra impetus and they began to take control of the game. Dinamo's cause was not helped by playmaker Georgi Anchabadze's injury after 24 minutes. With no obvious replacements the hugely ineffective Ilia Kandelaki was introduced and with it went all Dinamo's creativity. Half time came with Tirana leading 1-0. The hope was that Susak could breathe new life into Dinamo and kill the game in the second half with a goal. However this never happened and Indrit Fortuzi scored the second for Tirana after 54 minutes. Just one goal for Dinamo would of killed off the tie but they couldn't do it and with increasing Albanian pressure the Dinamo defence buckled and Mahir Hallili struck the crucial third goal. The Dinamo players knew that Extra time and possibly penalties were to follow. To be fair to Susak he rallied the troops and Dinamo did play better throughout the extra time but you always got the impression that the Tirana players would be more confident if penalties came their way. This despite the fact that Indrit Fortuzi missed his effort in Georgia when Irakli Zoidze saved. The extra time finished with the aggregate score 3-3 and penalties would now decide the fate of the match. You got the impression Dinamo players had lost the plot before the penalties and this proved to be the case, The Tirana players kept their nerve and scored all of their penalties while Alexander Gogoberishvili and Lado Akhalaia missed for Dinamo. Dinamo coach Ivo Susak met journalists the day after the match. Here are his comments: First 15 minutes were quite good for us. Tirana was afraid. That was a fact, but after they scored quite a weird goal following ricochet, they became more mobilized and my players looked hypnotized. They were not able to make even 2 passes. Their ambition has gone somewhere and I was not able to find it. I couldn't recognize them. They began to play the right football only in extra time, but they couldn't score anyway. If I could I would change all 11 players. It was the worst game my teams have ever played. There was nobody on the pitch who would lead the team and score the decisive goal 50% of this disaster is my fault. I'm in knockdown and the players are in knockout. I have to stand up before they count to 10 and help the players. Only true professionals can overcome this terrible strike. We do not need the players who don�t have the right ambition. We will survive and defend our championship... Tomorrow, July 26th Georgian championship begins. Dinamo plays Spartak-Lazika Lets just hope Dinamo can learn form this and come back stronger next year Teams: Referee: KELLY Alan (IRL) Booked: Akhalaia, Melkadze Attendance: 4,000 Pictures: |
| SK Tirana 3-0 Dinamo Tbilisi |
| 23rd July 2003 |
| SK Tirana |
| Dinamo Tbilisi |
| 1 Egbo 2 Sina 84 4 Dede 8 Bulku 64 10 Muka 11 Fortuzi 16 Hajdari 19 Lici 20 Xhafa 64 21 Patushi 24 Pinari Subs: 12 Hidi 7 Tafaj 9 Bulku 64 14 Hallili 64 15 Agolli 17 Prenga 23 Merkoci 84 |
| 1 Zoidze 5 Shashiashvili 6 Daraselia 64 7 Gogoberishvili 8 Burduli 10 Anchabadze 22 14 Akhalaia 16 Kvirkvelia 18 Melkadze 58 24 Amisulashvili 25 Khizaneishvili Subs: 22 Gvaramadze 3 Kandelaki 22 4 Tsereteli 9 Sakhvadze 19 Da Rocha 64 20 Iashvili 23 Samkharadze 58 |
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| Lici, 11 (Tirana win 4-2 on penalties) Fortuzi, 54 Hallili, 77 |
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| Tirana's Suad Lici clears the ball |