Georgia have sealed a spot in the last 16 of Euro 2024 following Wednesday’s 2-0 victory over Portugal, which gave them a historic win in their first-ever appearance at the finals of a major international tournament.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia shocked Georgia with the opening goal against a second-string Portugal team with just a little over a minute played in Gelsenkirchen.
Then Georges Mikautadze ensured Georgia would leave with the biggest football victory in the Black Sea nation’s history with a 57th-minute penalty.:00 / 1:07
Willy Sagnol’s team qualify from Group F as one of the four best third-placed finishers after their first ever European Championship win, which set up a daunting clash with red-hot Spain on Sunday.
Already having qualified as group winners for the next round, coach Portugal’s Roberto Martinez made eight changes from the team that swept Turkey aside to guarantee first place last weekend.
But for long periods his team were in control of the game and looked likely winners of the equaliser before Silva Antonio, guilty of gifting possession away for the first goal, was harshly adjudged to have made minimal contact with Luka Lochoshvili to conceded the decisive penalty.
At any rate, attention turns to Monday and Portugal’s contest against Slovenia – presuming of injuries, Martinez will have a well-rested first XI available.
History makers –
Kvaratskhelia was the beneficiary of Silva sloppily giving away possession to Mikautadze, who after scoring in both of Georgia’s last two with Turkey and the Czech Republic turned provider.
Mikautadze gave a perfectly-weighted pass to Kvaratskhelia who burst through on goal from his preferred position in the inside-right channel and stroked home a precision finish.
It was unfamiliarly clinical finishing from Georgia who would have gone into Wednesday’s match with more than one point had they made the most of their opportunities.
From there, Sagnol’s team were content to sit back and protect their slender lead as Portugal sent forward waves of attack against a packed defence.
First, he smashed a free-kick straight at Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili in the 17th minute, before he was booked just before the half-hour mark for dissent after what he thought was a foul from Lochoshvili.
Francisco Conceicao hit the side netting while Ronaldo protested to referee Sandro Scherer and moments later Joao Felix fizzed a long-range shot just wide.
Ronaldo’s frustrations continued almost immediately after half-time when looked certain to score from a corner only for Lasha Dvali to unwittingly save the day with his back.
Kvaratskhelia then wasted a great chance to double his team’s lead before Mikautadze, who has been Georgia’s best player in the tournament, stroked in his third goal in as many games from the penalty spot.
Then Georgia closed ranks and made rare, but often dangerous forays into the defensive third of Portugal, a result of which was waiting with bated breath by their supporters until the final whistle.