Georgia certified for the final 16 of Euro 2024, their first main match, with an excellent 2-0 victory over Portugal.
Georgia’s mission at kick-off is straightforward – beat Portugal and advance to the following spherical. They did simply that and scheduled a gathering with Spain in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday.
With high spot in Group F already sealed, Roberto Martinez made eight adjustments to his Portugal facet – undoubtedly an element of their chaotic efficiency. They should enhance in opposition to Slovenia in Frankfurt on Monday.
Georgia had no such issues and scored inside two minutes, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia punishing Antonio Silva’s error by latching on to George Georges Mikautadze’s by ball and completed the shot forward of Diogo Costa.
Silva made one other mistake for the second objective, latching on to Luka Lochosvili within the penalty space after extra sloppy Portuguese defence.
After a pitchside evaluate, Mikotadze was awarded a penalty, changing into the match’s main scorer and capping off the best night time in Georgian soccer historical past.
Star performer: George Mikotadze
Georges Mikautadze’s three objectives make him the highest scorer at Euro 2024
Excluding his personal objectives (already seven), Georges Mikautadze is the highest scorer on this summer time’s match. Not many would have predicted this when Euro 2024 began about two weeks in the past.
The French-born 23-year-old has now scored in Georgia’s three video games in opposition to Germany. He additionally supplied the help for Hviča Kvarachelja’s early objective that in the end sunk Portugal.
Six months in the past, this story would have been virtually unbelievable. Mikotadze’s transfer to Ajax was a severe mistake as he began simply three video games within the first half of the season and failed to attain.
A mortgage return to former membership Metz was organized in January. Mikotadze shortly discovered his kind, scoring 12 objectives to make sure he was in high kind for Euro 2024.
Mikotadze is now in peril of overtaking Georgia’s star participant Kvaradskhelia as he makes a reputation for himself on the most important stage.
Martinez tinkers as Ronaldo toils
Cristiano Ronaldo has but to attain at Euro 2024
Criticism of Portugal can be tempered by the truth that they completed high of their group earlier than dealing with Georgia, however Roberto Martinez’s facet – after eight adjustments – ought to nonetheless be adequate to beat Willy Sa Niort’s group.
After abandoning the troubled 3-4-3 formation Czech Republic overcoming turkeyMartinez then returned to Gelsenkirchen’s system, reworking Wolves’ star winger Pedro Neto right into a left-wing again.
It does not work. Neto was nameless and the again three of Antonio Silva, Goncalo Inacio and Danilo Pereira seemed weak every time Georgia attacked.
Cristiano Ronaldo began in his third sport in eight days regardless of the sport having nothing to do with Portugal’s promotion in Group F.
The 39-year-old was clearly determined for his first objective of the match however not often seemed like breaking by the Georgia protection.
Ronaldo has misplaced the explosiveness that made him an all-time nice, and he wants assist from his teammates. However Portugal’s efficiency into the penalty space was poor.
Martinez will little question resume the remainder of the remainder of the beginning line-up for Monday’s last-16 match in opposition to Slovenia. However Portugal is on the identical facet as Germany, Spain and France.
If Ronaldo is to show his management position in Portugal’s star-studded squad, the pinnacle coach might want to shortly determine a system and work out find out how to get the perfect out of Ronaldo.
Kvaratskhelia: That is the perfect day of my life
Portugal supervisor Robert Martinez “We’re not underestimating Georgia, however Georgia are enjoying a sport of their historical past and once we performed our final sport we had been high of the group.
“It’s laborious for us to attain the identical depth.”
contest winner Hvitsa Kvaratskhelia Mentioned: “I believe there isn’t any particular person greatest participant, however a group.
“We made historical past and nobody would have believed we may beat Portugal. However we confirmed everybody that Georgia can obtain this.
“That is the perfect day of my life.”
