Shock in Georgia: Dinamo Tbilisi knocked out by third-tier club ahead of possible European clash with Hajduk
Dinamo Tbilisi suffered one of its most difficult domestic defeats of the season only a few days before the match that should confirm its progression to the third qualifying round of the Conference League. The Georgian giant was eliminated from the national Cup after a 1:0 away defeat to Guria Lanchkhuti, a club competing in the third tier of Georgian football. The round-of-32 match was played on 26 July 2026 at the Evgrapi Shevardnadze Stadium in Lanchkhuti, and the only goal was scored by Luka Chaganava in the 40th minute. Dinamo failed to find a way back after conceding, allowing Guria to preserve its narrow lead and secure a place in the next stage of the competition.
The result attracted additional attention outside Georgia because Dinamo Tbilisi is on a possible European path with Hajduk. The UEFA draw paired the winner of the Dinamo Tbilisi – Žalgiris Vilnius tie with the club eliminated from the Hajduk – Pafos pairing in the second qualifying round of the Europa League. Hajduk won the first match in Split against Pafos 2:0, while Dinamo defeated Žalgiris 3:0 in Tbilisi. Ahead of the return legs, both teams hold significant advantages, but the Georgian club's Cup defeat demonstrated how quickly perceptions and form can change in just a few days.
Chaganava punished Dinamo before the trip to Vilnius
According to official data from the Georgian Football Federation, Guria and Dinamo played a Cup round-of-32 match, with the home side winning 1:0. Match reports state that the decisive moment arrived in the 40th minute, when Luka Chaganava beat the Dinamo goalkeeper. It was the goal that gave the third-tier side one of the biggest upsets of the round and ended the Cup campaign of one of the country's best-known clubs.
Dinamo did not field a completely unknown or exclusively developmental lineup. The starting team included, among others, captain Nika Ninua, experienced Jaba Kankava, striker Mate Vatsadze, Numan Kurdić and Levan Kharabadze, while the team was managed by Temur Ketsbaia. Such a lineup further emphasises the scale of the surprise, as this was not a match in which the favourite sent only junior players onto the pitch. Nevertheless, experience and individual quality were not enough for Dinamo to break through Guria's defence after the home side took the lead.
For Guria, the victory also carries symbolic significance. The club from Lanchkhuti competes in Liga 3, officially the third level of the Georgian league system, and faced a top-flight team in the Cup. The difference in status, resources and squad depth before the match was considerable, but Cup competitions often reduce the importance of such differences because the outcome is decided in a single match. Guria took its opportunity, maintained its concentration after going ahead and eliminated an opponent with a far greater domestic and European tradition.
Giant with a European legacy left without a chance to fight for the Cup
Dinamo Tbilisi is not only one of the leading clubs in modern Georgian football but also a team with an important place in the history of European competitions. UEFA lists it as the winner of the 1981 Cup Winners' Cup, when it defeated Carl Zeiss Jena in the final. That result remains the greatest international achievement in Georgian club football, which gives every early Dinamo elimination from the domestic Cup additional weight.
The defeat in Lanchkhuti means that the club will continue the season without the possibility of winning one of the two main domestic trophies. At the same time, this increases the importance of the league and European qualifiers. According to the official Erovnuli Liga table, Dinamo is third after 19 matches with 31 points and a goal difference of plus ten. Leaders Iberia 1999 have 34 points, while second-placed Rustavi have 32, meaning the battle for the top remains completely open.
Before the summer break, Dinamo showed in the league that it can be effective, but it failed to build a large points advantage or the stability that would separate it from its rivals. Official league data lists Mate Vatsadze as the club's leading scorer with five goals, while Nika Ninua leads the team with nine assists. The players holding important roles in the league campaign were also involved in the Cup match, making it difficult to explain the defeat solely through rotation or the resting of all key players for Europe.
A 3:0 advantage still opens the door to the third qualifying round for Dinamo
Despite the domestic setback, Dinamo's European situation is considerably more favourable. The Georgian team defeated Žalgiris Vilnius 3:0 in the first leg of the Conference League second qualifying round, played on 23 July in Tbilisi. All three goals were scored in the first half, meaning Dinamo travels to the return leg in Lithuania with a result that allows for a more controlled approach and leaves Žalgiris with an extremely demanding task.
According to UEFA's schedule, the return leg is set for 30 July in Vilnius. Dinamo will attempt to confirm its progression there only four days after its Cup elimination, leaving the coaching staff little time for the team's psychological and tactical recovery. The defeat to Guria does not erase the advantage secured against Žalgiris, but it may affect confidence and further increase the pressure if the Lithuanian club scores an early goal.
For Žalgiris, the calculation is clear: it must overturn a three-goal deficit while preventing Dinamo from further increasing its aggregate advantage. The Georgian club therefore remains the strong favourite to advance, but the Cup result will serve as a warning that no match can be managed solely on reputation. Dinamo will need to demonstrate significantly greater attacking precision and control in Vilnius than it did in Lanchkhuti, particularly if the home side opts for an aggressive start.
Hajduk takes a two-goal advantage to Cyprus
The other part of the possible third qualifying-round pairing will be decided in the tie between Hajduk and Pafos. Hajduk defeated the Cypriot team 2:0 at Poljud Stadium on 23 July in the first leg of the Europa League second qualifying round. According to the Split club's official report, Michele Šego and Dario Melnjak scored the goals in the second half. A two-goal advantage places Hajduk in a favourable position, but does not guarantee progression before the return leg in Cyprus.
It is important to distinguish between the two European paths. The winner of the Hajduk – Pafos tie continues in the Europa League qualifiers, while the loser drops into the Conference League third qualifying round. According to the draw, that losing club would face the winner of the Dinamo Tbilisi – Žalgiris tie. This means Hajduk could play Dinamo only if Pafos overturns the deficit from Split and eliminates it from the Europa League, while the Georgian club simultaneously preserves its advantage against Žalgiris.
Such an outcome is not currently the most likely one considering the first-leg results, but it remains entirely possible until the return matches have been played. Hajduk must defend a 2:0 lead in Cyprus, while Dinamo defends a 3:0 advantage in Vilnius. If both teams manage to preserve their leads, they will not meet because Hajduk would remain in the Europa League and Dinamo would continue in the Conference League. If Hajduk is eliminated, its European path would lead towards the winner of the Georgian-Lithuanian pairing.
UEFA has scheduled the first legs of the Conference League third qualifying round for 6 August, with the return legs on 13 August 2026. The draw was held on 20 July and included 60 clubs or ties that had not yet been decided. In the main path, the crossover pairing Dinamo Tbilisi/Žalgiris – Hajduk/Pafos was officially formed, giving the clubs a clear framework of possible opponents in advance of the completion of the second qualifying round.
Cup defeat is an important signal, but not the complete picture of Dinamo
The result against Guria will naturally influence assessments of Dinamo's strength, particularly among supporters and the coaching staffs of potential European opponents. Nevertheless, it would not be justified to turn one match into a definitive assessment of the team. Only three days before its Cup elimination, Dinamo built a convincing 3:0 lead against Žalgiris, demonstrating that the Georgian side can be extremely dangerous when it imposes its rhythm early and converts its chances.
At the same time, the difference between those two performances reveals possible instability. Against Žalgiris, Dinamo quickly established a secure result, while against a disciplined lower-league team it was unable to respond after conceding. For a potential opponent, this could be an important tactical detail: the Georgian club has enough quality to punish open play, but may encounter difficulties when required to patiently attack a deep defensive block and cope with pressure in a match in which it is the overwhelming favourite.
For Temur Ketsbaia, the next challenge is to separate the domestic setback from the European objective. Within a few days, the team must move from the disappointment of losing a trophy to a match that could determine a large part of its international season. Progression to the third qualifying round would bring at least two more European matches and preserve the opportunity to move closer to the Conference League league phase. Elimination after holding a 3:0 advantage, on the other hand, would further increase the pressure on the team and coaching staff.
The outcome arrives on 30 July
The key answers will be known on 30 July, when the return legs Žalgiris – Dinamo Tbilisi and Pafos – Hajduk are scheduled. Until then, the only certainties are that Dinamo has been eliminated from the Georgian Cup and that it holds a large, but not yet confirmed, advantage in Europe. Guria Lanchkhuti has already shown that favourite status offers no protection against elimination, while Dinamo will attempt to prove in Vilnius that the defeat to a third-tier team was an isolated setback rather than the beginning of a decline in form.
For Hajduk, the Georgian result is interesting primarily as information about a possible opponent, but its immediate task remains Pafos. Only if the Cypriot team overturns a 0:2 deficit and Dinamo confirms progression against Žalgiris will a Conference League clash between the clubs from Split and Tbilisi become possible. Until then, both ties have their own dynamics, while the Cup sensation in Lanchkhuti has only added further uncertainty to the European summer.
Sources:
- Georgian Football Federation – official match record for Guria Lanchkhuti – Dinamo Tbilisi in the Georgian Cup (link)
- Futbol24 – result, scorer and minute of the decisive goal in the Guria – Dinamo Tbilisi match (link)
- UEFA – official page for the Dinamo Tbilisi – Žalgiris match in the Conference League second qualifying round (link)
- UEFA – draw and dates for the 2026/27 Conference League third qualifying round (link)
- Erovnuli Liga – official Dinamo Tbilisi table and statistics after 19 rounds (link)
- Georgian Football Federation Liga 3 – official information on Guria Lanchkhuti's competition in the third tier (link)
- HNK Hajduk Split – official report from the Hajduk – Pafos 2:0 match (link)
- UEFA – historical information on Dinamo Tbilisi as the 1981 Cup Winners' Cup champion (link)