Stadiums of Georgia (4/?) - Football field in Stepantsminda/Qazbegi, 11.7.2015

That weekend we have planned to spend in Stepantsminda and surroundings. On Friday evening we came to our destination and used our time for climbing the famous Gergetis Sameba church and enjoying wonderful views. Saturday has been intended for Gveleti waterfalls and Truso Gorge - these are wonderful as well, and definitely will be a topic of a separate post, when I'm done with stadiums.

In the beginning I was not planning to see any stadium on that day. Simply because I've never heard of any football team existing in this tiny townlet in the high Caucasus mountains. But, as we were driving from Gveleti to Truso, looking through the car window, I've spotted a field with standing goals. That meant a stop for taking few photos. Not full visit, as I supposed it was just a field without any league history, and of course - because we were in hurry for more turistically interesting places.

The field had also some club building standing nearby.

Just few years later I've discovered, that there once upon a time there was a team in Stepantsminda (in that time known as Qazbegi), named Dariali (that's the name of the gorge where Stepantsminda is located).

All I know about Dariali's history is, that the club has been playing in the Regional Championships of Georgia in 1990 and 1991/2 seasons (so most probably also in 1991, maybe also in next seasons as well). In these years it has been the lowest level of the league pyramid, and almost no informations are available on it nowadays. I have also no evidence of Dariali team existing during Soviet era, but I suppose it is at least probable. Should You know anything more about that team, I'd be pleased to learn.