2016 Pirveli Liga

Pirveli Liga
Season2016
Dates19 August - 10 December
ChampionsRustavi; WIT Georgia
PromotedNone
RelegatedBorjomi
Skuri
Chiatura
Liakhvi
Sulori
Kolkheti
Sapovnela
Odishi 1919
Gardabani
Mark Stars
Imereti
Chkherimela
Matches played268
Top goalscorerLevan Papava (Gagra)
13 goals
2017 →

The 2016 Pirveli Liga was the 28th and last season under the name Pirveli Liga before the division was reorganized into Erovnuli Liga 2. It began on 19 August and ended with relegation play-off finals on 10 December.

The season was transitional back to the Autumn-Spring system. Apart from this change, the league consisting of 18 teams was due to be reduced to 10 for 2017. Taking into consideration the upcoming exit of four clubs from Umaglesi Liga at the end of this season, a total of twelve teams of Pirveli Liga were doomed for relegation, while no promotion to the top tier was envisaged.

Team changes

The best two teams of the 2015–16 season Liakhvi Tskhinvali and WIT Georgia were denied promotion to Umaglesi Liga. Georgian Football Federation referred to discrepancies found in submitted license documents as the reason behind this decision.[1] Therefore, they both remained in Pirveli Liga.

To Pirveli Liga

Sulori Vani • Gardabani • Mark Stars

Relegated from Umaglesi Liga

Merani Martvili • Sapovnela Terjola

From Pirveli Liga

Relegated to Meore Liga

Betlemi Keda • Samegrelo Chkhorotsku • Matchakhela Khelvachauri • Algeti Marneuli • Mertskhali Ozurgeti

None

Review

Within four months the clubs completed the regular season in two groups. Those, who qualified for relegation round, took part in play-offs based on the knock-out rule. As a result, even a third-placed team quit the league.[2]

The season turned out unusual for a large amount of disciplinary decisions made by the Federation with regards to some league members. Overall, 11 teams out of 18 were deducted points for different reasons. Two clubs were found guilty of match-fixing offences, had their points annulled and expelled from the league.[3]

Teams and stadiums

Team City/Town Stadium Capacity
Borjomi Borjomi Jemal Zeinklishvili Stadium 3,000
Chiatura Chiatura Temur Maghradze Stadium 11,700
Chkherimela Kharagauli Kharagauli Soso Abashidze Stadium 2,000
Gagra Tbilisi Merani Stadium 2,000
Gardabani Tbilisi Ameris Stadioni 500
Imereti Khoni Khoni Central Stadium 1,000
Kolkheti Khobi Khobi Central Stadium 12,000
Liakhvi Tskhinvali Gori Kartlis Stadium 1,500
Mark Stars Tbilisi Sport complex Shatili 2,000
Merani Martvili Martvili Murtaz Khurtsilava Stadium 2,000
Meshakhte Tkibuli Tkibuli Vladimer Bochorishvili Stadium 6,000
Odishi 1919 Zugdidi Zugdidi Baias Baza 2,000
Rustavi Rustavi Poladi Stadium 6,000
Samgurali Tskhaltubo Tskhaltubo 26 May Stadium 12,000
Skuri Tsalenjikha Tsalenjikha Sasha Kvaratskhelia Stadium 4,000
Sapovnela Terjola Terjola Central Stadium 2,500
Sulori Vani Vani Stadioni Grigol Nikoleishvili 2,000
WIT Georgia Mtskheta Mtskheta Park 2,000

League table

Group Red

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 WIT Georgia (C) 16 11 3 2 34 14 +20 36
2 Gagra 16 9 4 3 29 21 +8 28[a]
3 Borjomi (R) 16 8 1 7 22 17 +5 22[a] Qualification for Relegation play-offs
4 Skuri (R) 16 6 3 7 32 24 +8 21
5 Sulori (R) 16 7 3 6 20 21 −1 21[a]
6 Chiatura (R) 16 7 2 7 15 21 −6 20[a]
7 Sapovnela (R) 16 5 4 7 14 18 −4 19 Relegation to Liga 3
8 Odishi 1919 (R) 16 7 1 8 31 32 −1 19[a]
9 Gardabani (R) 16 1 1 14 13 42 −29 4
Source: Soccerway
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; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ a b c d e Gagra, Borjomi, Sulori, Chiatura and Odishi 1919 were deducted 3 points

Group White

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Rustavi (C) 16 12 2 2 40 15 +25 32[a]
2 Samgurali 16 10 2 4 29 24 +5 32
3 Meshakhte (O) 16 9 2 5 25 12 +13 29 Qualification for Relegation play-offs
4 Merani (O) 16 9 5 2 31 11 +20 26[a]
5 Kolkheti (R) 16 5 6 5 20 24 −4 21
6 Liakhvi (R) 16 2 4 10 16 39 −23 4[a]
7 Mark Stars (R) 16 1 3 12 15 34 −19 3[b] Relegation to Liga 3
8 Imereti (R) 16 4 3 9 20 29 −9 0[c]
9 Chkherimela (R) 16 1 3 12 13 45 −32 0[a]
Source: Soccerway
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; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ a b c d Rustavi, Merani, Liakhvi and Chkherimela were deducted 6 points
  2. ^ Mark Stars were deducted 3 points
  3. ^ Imereti were deducted 15 points

Relegation play-offs

Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
            
Liakhvi Tskhinvali 1 0 1
Borjomi 1 7 8
Borjomi 0 2 2
Merani Martvili 2 1 3
Sulori Vani 0 0 0
Merani Martvili 1 6 7
 
 
Kolkheti Khobi 1 0 1
Skuri Tsalenjikha 2 3 5
Skuri Tsalenjikha 0 0 0
Meshakhte Tkibuli 0 2 2
Chiatura 0 1 1
Meshakhte Tkibuli 2 4 6

Source

Following these play-offs Merani Martvili and Meshakhte Tkibuli retained their places in Pirveli Liga.

References

  1. ^ ""ვიტ ჯორჯია" და "ლიახვი" უმაღლეს ლიგაში ვერ ითამაშებენ". worldsport.ge (in Georgian). 28 May 2016.
  2. ^ "პირველი ლიგა: პლეი აუტი - საპასუხო მატჩები". gff.ge, 10 December 2016.
  3. ^ "ს.კ. "იმერეთი" ჩემპიონატიდან მოიხსნა, "ლიახვმა" მკაცრი სანქციები მიიღო". sports.ge (in Georgian), 15 November 2016.