GARDABANI, Georgia (Interstat) — SK Iveria Khashuri scored once in each half and defeated home side SK Gardabani 2-0 on Thursday in the competition. Otar Khachidze opened the scoring in the 13th minute, and Luka Bochorishvili added a second in the 50th. Iveria’s defense preserved the clean sheet as Gardabani was unable to convert its chances. The visitors managed the game after taking the early lead and protected their advantage through the second half. The result gave Iveria a road win and left Gardabani still searching for its first victory of the season.

The opening goal arrived in the 13th minute and forced Gardabani to chase the game. Iveria kept its shape and limited space in the attacking third, while Gardabani struggled to turn possession into clear chances. The visitors doubled the advantage in the 50th minute when Bochorishvili found the net. From there, Iveria concentrated on protecting the lead, slowing the tempo when possible and clearing danger. Gardabani pushed more players forward in the closing stages, but the home side could not break through. Iveria’s clean sheet completed a controlled road performance.

Iveria’s key performers were Otar Khachidze and Luka Bochorishvili, each with one goal in 90 minutes. Khachidze struck first, and Bochorishvili doubled the lead after halftime. Iveria entered the match after an 8-0 win over SK Betlemi Keda and a 2-2 draw at SK Merani Tbilisi. Gardabani entered after a 3-0 loss at SK Iberia 2010 and a 3-1 home loss to SK Kolkheti Khobi. The visitors carried the momentum of those recent results into the opening stages and found the breakthrough before the quarter-hour mark. Gardabani tried to respond after conceding, but Iveria kept the home side from finding a finishing touch before the break. The second goal early in the second half gave Iveria more room to manage the remainder of the match.

With the win, SK Iveria Khashuri’s season record in this competition is now two wins, no losses and one draw. Its record across all competitions is also two wins, no losses and one draw. SK Gardabani’s season record in this competition is now no wins and three losses, and its record across all competitions is also no wins and three losses. The match marked another difficult outing for Gardabani, which could not build on its earlier attacking moments. Iveria, meanwhile, remained unbeaten in the competition and across all competitions. The visitors’ ability to score in different phases of the match proved enough on the night, while Gardabani was left to regroup after another defeat.

Iveria controlled long stretches after the second goal and limited Gardabani’s chances to get back into the game. Gardabani continued to press in search of a goal that could change the mood, but Iveria’s back line held firm. The final whistle confirmed a clean sheet for the visitors and a two-goal margin that reflected their finishing at key moments. Khachidze and Bochorishvili provided the scoring, and Iveria did the rest by protecting its lead. The result continued Iveria’s unbeaten start and kept Gardabani without a win in the competition and across all competitions. Iveria’s latest performance followed its high-scoring win over Betlemi Keda and its draw at Merani Tbilisi, while Gardabani’s result added to defeats against Iberia 2010 and Kolkheti Khobi. The visitors’ latest result kept their unbeaten run intact, and Gardabani’s search for a first win continued after another loss.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of SK Gardabani 2, SK Iveria Khashuri 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected SK Gardabani with a 70.7 percent probability to win. The total score of 2 went over the over/under line of 3.5.