Georgia - Portugal live: Euro 2024 - Football - Eurosport
Updated 26/06/2024 at 21:08 GMT
GEORGIA MAKE HISTORY AND PROGRESS TO KNOCKOUT STAGE AFTER 2-0 DEFEAT OVER PORTUGAL
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Georgia stunned Portugal 2-0 in Gelsenkirchen to secure qualification to the knockout stages of the European Championship in their first ever major tournament.
Napoli's Kvicha Kvaratskhelia opened the scoring after just 93 seconds for the Crusaders after a sloppy pass from Antonio Silva gifted Georges Mikautadze the ball in a dangerous position.
Mikautadze doubled Georgia's lead in the second period with his third goal of the tournament as he cooly converted from the spot after Silva was once again at fault for bringing down Luca Lochoshvili.
Roberto Martinez will not be overly concerned after making eight changes to the side that beat Turkey 3-0 with Portugal heading into this evening's game having already won Group F.
Willy Sagnol's side go through as one of the best third-placed teams and will now face Spain in the round of 16 while Portugal will take on Slovenia.
Image credit: Getty Images
End of 2nd Half
FULL TIME: GEORGIA 2-0 PORTUGAL
Another smart stop from Mamardashvili brings a corner but it comes to nothing as the referee blows the full time whistle on a historic victory for Georgia.
The crusaders have defeated Portugal 2-0 in a remarkable performance and have reached the round of 16 in their first major tournament.
BEST CHANCES OF THE HALF FOR PORTUGAL
What a chance for Portugal to get one back. This time it's a great inswinging cross from Felix. It falls to Semedo at the back post who looks to set it back across goal on the volley but it deflects off a defender into the arms of Mamardashvili. Slightly fortunate but deserved.
Conceicao then fires a low effort across the goal. Jota tries to flick it in but it goes just wide of the far post. I'm not sure how that stayed out.
NON-STOP RUNNING FROM GEORGIA
Kakabadze wins a foul as he draws a foul from Conceicao. Davitashvili does superbly on two occasions to press Portugal and win it back. Georgia's work rate has been phenomenal.
Another horrendous cross from Portugal as Nunes floats one well over the bar. The fourth official confirms there will be four minutes of added time.
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Kakabadze brings it away for Georgia and does superbly to win the throw-in and ease the pressure on his side. Ruben Neves then balloons a cross over the bar and that sums up Portugal's second half. They have really struggled to find any quality.
Mekvabishvili picks up a yellow card soon after his introduction for a late tackle. Georgia have a huge chance to make it three as Davitashvili is slipped in but he smashes his effort into the side netting from the left of the box.
Yellow card
A. Mekvabishvili
Georgia
DOUBLE CHANGE FOR GEORGIA
Felix chips it over the top to Jota but Tsitaishvili nicks it off him before he can unleash a shot. Neves delivers the resulting corner that is dangerous but cleared.
Chakvertadze and Kavaratskhelia then make way for Mekvabishvili and Davitashvili. A really strong performance from both players taken off. The Napoli man led so well form the front and it could be his early goal that proves to be so crucial.
Off
K. Kvaratskhelia
Georgia
GEORGIA COPING WITH PORTUGAL
Kvartskhelia brings it away for Georgia before playing to Tsitaishvili on the overlap. The substitue looks for Mikautadze at the near post but it is cleared well for a corner that comes to nothing.
Down the other end Joao Felix looks to whip one it to the back post but it is well overhit. Portugal are really struggling to create anything of note.
As Gvelesiani goes down with cramp, Liverpool's Diogo Jota comes on for Pedro Neto while Matheus Nunes of Manchester City replaces Joao Neves.
Meanwhile, Solomon Kvirkvelia comes on for Giorgi Gvelesiani in a like for like swap after his issues with cramp.
Conceicao is picking up the ball more and more and it looks as if chances will come from him but the ball is just going from side to side for Portugal. The winger's eventual cross is headed away by Kashia.
He picks it up again but his cross on his weaker right foot this time doesn't have the legs on it to trouble Georgia. The Crusaders then break at pace through Chakvetadze who is bearing down on goal but his wild effort is high and wide. A big chance for three.
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RAMOS LOOKS TO MAKE IMPACT
Conceicao takes it down on his chest on the edge of the box but his half volley is blazed over. Can Ramos produce something similar to his World Cup hat-trick in 2022? On first viewing the answer is no. His overhead kick attempt goes wrong and he kicks the head of a Georgian defender.
Elsewhere the Czech Republic have pegged back Turkey after their second-half strike.
Georgiy Tsitaishvili comes on for Luka Lochoshvili as Sagnol makes his first substitution of the evening. Kvaratskhelia does absolutely brilliantly to win the foul after holding it up and dribbling past about four Portuguese defenders. What a game he's having.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Antonio Silva are then withdrawn in place of Goncalo Ramos and Nelson Semedo.
Off
Cristiano Ronaldo
Portugal
RONALDO APPEALS FOR A PENALTY
Can Portugal respond here? Martinez will surely shake things up as they look for an answer. Neves delivers an inswinging ball towards Ronaldo who goes down again appealing for a penalty but nothing is given. It would have been soft.
Kvaratskhelia produces some lovely footwork down the other end in Portugal's box but is eventually tackled before he can get a shot off.
57'
GOAL! GEORGIA 2-0 PORTUGAL (Mikautadze)
Mikautadze steps up to plate and cooly slots the ball to Costa's left. The keeper goes the right way but it is tucked well into the corner. That is the forward's third goal of the tournament and he is now the leading scorer. History is being made!
Penalty
G. Mikautadze
Georgia
PENALTY GIVEN FOR GEORGIA
The referee is told to go and check the challenge by Silva on Lochoshvili. The Portuguese defender gets slight contact on the Georgia player and the referee points to the spot.
55'
Just seven minutes after coming on Neves eans himself a clear booking for a cynical pullback on Chakvetadze. Kvaratskhelia has another great chance
Lochoshvili then goes down appealing for a penalty but it's waved away but we hear there is a VAR check. Down the other end Dalot has a wonderful effort from range but Mamardashvili produces a worldie save to deny him.
Yellow card
R. Neves
Portugal
MASSIVE CHANCE FOR GEORGIA
Oh what a chance for Georgia! The ball is pulled back into towards Mikautadze who misses it but it falls perfectly to Kvaratskhelia in the centre of the box but he fluffs his lines and scuffs it into the arms of Costa. An unbelievable opportunity to double their lead and score his second of the night.
An early opening as Ronaldo feeds Conceicao who looks to cut in on his left and curl one into the far corner but it is deflected behind for a corner.
The ball drops to Ronaldo who looks to scramble it in from close-range but it is really well blocked by a defender and goes over for another corner. Georgia look nervous again from the delivery but they manage to win a free-kick.
2nd Half
Georgia get us back underway kicking from right to left. A huge half for the Crusaders!
HALF-TIME CHANGE FOR PORTUGAL
A change from Roberto Martinez as Ruben Neves is on in place of Joao Palhinha.
ENGLAND TO FACE SLOVAKIA... AS IT STANDS
As it stands, with Georgia leading Portugal, England are set to face Slovakia in the round of 16 rather than the Netherlands.
After recent performances England won't be complacent but you would have thought Southgate will be cheering on Georgia to hold on in the second period.
Can the Crusaders hold on and qualify for the knockout stage in their first ever major tournament? The second half is on its way.
