Berlin, June 26 (EUROPA PRESS) – The Georgian group beat Portugal (2-0) this Wednesday on the final day of Group F of the Euro 2024 that’s being performed in Germany, sealing a historic move to the spherical of 16 , the place they are going to be measured on Sunday towards Spain.
For the primary time in a continental match, the Georgian group additionally savoured their first victory towards a favorite. Portugal had nothing to play for on the Veltins Area in Gelsenkirchen, with their ticket already secured in addition to first place, and the urgency gave Willy Sagnol’s males an additional enhance.
With very clear concepts, a really vertical counterattack between Mikautadze and Kvaratskhelia, and with good probabilities, Georgia bought a well-deserved victory that, with the victory in Turkey’s different match towards the Czech Republic, makes it Spain’s subsequent rival. first and unbeaten in Group B. Portugal, which additionally suffered the rotation and suffered its first defeat in an official match since December 2022, will face Slovenia within the spherical of 16.
Georgia confirmed their hazard following two minutes, with a present from Antonio Silva and a counterattack that was completed off by Kvaratskhelia, a Napoli participant who’s on the lips of many for a doable transfer this summer time. Roberto Martínez’s males struggled to cease the bleeding of quick assaults from their rivals, with some possession, and followingwards they didn’t have a straightforward time discovering rhythm and probabilities.
These from Sagnol defended themselves equally forcefully. A direct foul by Cristiano Ronaldo examined Mamardashvili and the Al-Nassr ahead unsuccessfully claimed a penalty for grabbing and acquired yellow on high of that. Joao Félix gave sparks of pleasure to the Portuguese however Georgia had the warning from him with an virtually headbutt from Gvelesiani.
After the break, Ronaldo was determined to get near scoring, at all times with some opposing defender blocking his shot, and near the hour mark Georgia made it 2-0, with a penalty reviewed by VAR and transformed by Mikautadze, the match’s high scorer. Martínez made some strikes on the Portuguese bench however his group’s possession didn’t acquire momentum and Georgia had been those who monopolised the hazard.
Kvaratskhelia and Mikautadze had been a nightmare, whereas the arrival of reinforcements, regardless that Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva had been saved, didn’t change the face of a Portugal that threw away a few of its good sensations up to now within the match regardless of the ultimate push that it encountered with Mamardashvili. Georgian soccer made historical past and left a severe warning for Spain, though they already ‘know’ one another from the qualifying part with good Spanish reminiscences.
DATASHEET:
–RESULT: GEORGIA, 2 – PORTUGAL, 0. (1-0, at half-time).
–LINEUPS:
GEORGIA: Mamardashvili; Kakabadze, Gvelesiani (Kverkvelia, min.76), Kashia, Lochoshvili (Tsitaishvili, min.63), Dvali; Kochorashvili, Kiteishvili, Chakvetadze (Mekvabishvili, min.81); Mikautadze, Kvaratskhelia (Davitashvili, min.81).
PORTUGAL: Diogo Costa; Dalot, Danilo, Silva (Semedo, min.66), Inácio; Palhinha (Ruben Neves, relaxation), Joao Neves (Nunes, min.75), Neto (Jota, min.75); Conceição, Joao Félix; Ronaldo (Ramos, min.66).
–GOALS:
1 – 0, min.2, Kvaratskhelia.
2 – 0, min.57, Mikautadze (penalti).
–REFEREE: Sandro Schärer (SUI). Mekvabishvili was cautioned (min.85) by Georgia. And to Ronaldo (min.28), Neto (min.44) and Ruben Neves (min.53) in Portugal.
–STADIUM: Veltins Area (Gelsenkirchen).