The historic and epic Georgia of that inveterate dribbler who is Kvaratskhelia, of Mamardashvili, one of the best goalkeepers of this Euro Cup, and of the surprising top scorer of the tournament with three goals, Mikautadze, will be Spain’s rival in the round of 16 after defeating Portugal. Quite a feat for a team that under the direction of Frenchman Willi Sagnol has managed to advance from the group stage in its first participation in a major international competition since Georgia became independent from the former USSR in 1991.
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Giorgi Mamardashvili, Otar Kakabadze, Lasha Dvali, Luka Lochoshvili (Giorgi Tsitaishvili, min. 62), Guram Kashia, Giorgi Gvelesiani (Solomon Kverkvelia, min. 75), Giorgi Chakvetadze (Anzor Mekvabishvili, min. 80), Giorgi Kochorashvili, Otar Kiteishvili , Georges Mikautadze and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Zuriko Davitashvili, min. 81)
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Diogo Costa, Danilo Pereira, António Silva (Nélson Semedo, min. 65), Gonçalo Inácio, Pedro Neto (Diogo Jota, min. 74), João Neves (Matheus Nunes, min. 74), Diogo Dalot, João Palhinha (Rúben Neves , min. 45), Francisco Conceição, João Félix and Cristiano Ronaldo (Gonçalo Ramos, min. 65)
Goals
1-0 min. 1: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. 2-0 min. 56: Georges Mikautadze
Referee Sandro Schärer
Cristiano (min. 27), Pedro Neto (min. 43), Ruben Neves (min. 52), Anzor Mekvabishvili (min. 84)
The 30,000 Georgians who took over the Veltins Stadion in Gelserkinchen turned the Schalke coliseum into a volcano of national fury. Without a doubt, Georgia is one of the great stories of this Euro Cup. His triumph becomes part of the mystique that opposes elitist projects like the Super League.
The Georgians needed to beat Portugal to qualify and they did it in good law, with their truth. Defense in their own field with ten footballers and dizzying counterattacks with Kvaratskhelia in a Maradonian style. He had to suffer Portugal to a pure and inspired challenger. With his socks falling off of him, he either cleaned Portuguese at speed or danced them with his waist or passing the ball from foot to foot without anyone being able to tear it from his boots.
Georgia took advantage of an early error by the Portuguese in the ball out to take the lead and then completed a perfect exercise to finish them off with a penalty awarded by the VAR.
With first place in the group practically guaranteed, Roberto Martínez wanted to give flight to the pomegranate and luxurious wardrobe he has. He only kept three starters, representatives of the central spine, the goalkeeper Diogo Costa, the midfielder Palinha and the insatiable Cristiano. Next to him he formed Joao Félix, with whom the saber rattling had started due to his inactivity. He did not have minutes against the Czech Republic when Portugal needed to come back, nor against Turkey with three goals in favor. He also wanted to test the Spanish coach with the 3-4-3. It happened that after three minutes the testing ground that was supposed to be the duel for Portugal became a demanding duel to overcome. Antonio Silva gave the ball to Mikautadze in the center of the field and he darted towards the area accompanied by Kvaratskhelia. When the Napoli winger collected the pass he accelerated even more to meet Diogo Costa and beat him with a cross shot.
Forced by Portugal to come back with that experimental eleven, all the teams’ defects came to light without facing another team willing to resist with everything. Joao Felix didn’t flirt with anyone and Cristiano got lost in gestures and fusses against his teammates or against the referee. He could not generate a clear scoring chance in the entire first half. In the second he tried to make amends, but he found himself first with Mamardashvili and then with that penalty with which he certified his historic passage to the round of 16. A guerrilla and proud rival awaits Spain.
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