Moldova seal title as two Georgia players see red

GEORGIA 1
MOLDOVA 5

Malta's meeting with Georgia tomorrow will have no impact on the top position in the three-team classification. Last night Moldova made sure of lifting the trophy in the 13th edition of the International Tournament.

Moldova's young team sealed their success in style, routing Georgia 5-1 at the National Stadium to complete their commitments with a maximum six points after a 2-0 victory over Malta on the opening day of the tournament last weekend.

Milan defender Kakha Kaladze was conspicuous by his absence from Georgia's 18-man squad.

Nevertheless, Georgia's German coach Klaus Toppmoeller was still able to name six foreign-based players in his first XI, the most notable being Zurab Khizanishvili.

The Blackburn Rovers defender will not remember this match, played in a virtually empty stadium, with any fondness though. He was expelled by referee Adrian Casha in the second half for kicking an opponent.

Georgia skipper Malkhaz Asatiani also received a straight red card four minutes from time for spitting in the direction of Mol-dova's substitutes bench.

Moldova, who only made three alterations from the team that beat Malta on Saturday, enjoyed a fruitful start, racing ahead after barely five minutes with a fine header from Alexandr Zislis.

Seven minutes later, they derived further dividends from their brisk approach, Zislis driving the ball home from an angled position.

On 18 minutes, Georgia thought they were back in contention when they won a penalty after Asatiani looked to have been pulled down to the ground inside the Moldova box.

Levan Tskitishvili, who plays for Wolfsburg in Germany, sent a low shot past Stanislav Namasco.

The two teams, both playing 4-4-2, seldom threatened to alter the scoreline for the remainder of the first half but three minutes after the change of ends, Moldova moved 3-1 up thanks to a first-time strike by Alexeev.

Eleven minutes into the second half, Moldova sealed their success, Sergiu Namasco scoring from the penalty spot.

Khizanishvili was red-carded in the action that led to the Moldova penalty.

Victor Golovatenco scored Moldova's fifth and final goal 19 minutes from time.

GEORGIA: R. Tevdoraze, M. Gvinianidze, K. Makharadze, Z. Khizanishvili, L. Tskitishvili, A. Benashvili ('59 D. Mchedishvili), J. Kankava ('46 L. Kobiashvili), M. Asatiani, G. Chelidze ('64 R. Gotsiridze), D. Mujiri, B. Gotsiridze ('46 O. Martsvaladze).

MOLDOVA: S. Namasco, S. Bulgaru, I. Soltanaici, V. Golovatenco, V. Boloham, S. Namasco, N. Rudac, A. Suvorov, D. Zmeu ('78 A. Bereghici), A. Zislis ('83 S. Japalau), S. Alexeev.

REFEREE: Adrian Casha.

SCORERS: Zislis 5, 12; Tskitishvili 18 pen.; Alexeev 48; Namasco 56 pen.; Golovatenco 71.

RED CARDS: Khizanishvili 55; Asatiani 86.