Georgia produce biggest shock of Euro 2024 by stunning Portugal to reach last 16

Georgia shocked Portugal 2-0 in Gelsenkirchen to safe qualification to the knockout phases of Euro 2024 of their first ever main event.

Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia opened the scoring after simply 93 seconds for the Crusaders after a sloppy move from Antonio Silva gifted Georges Mikautadze the ball in a harmful place.

Mikautadze doubled Georgia’s lead within the second interval together with his third purpose of the event as he cooly transformed from the spot after Silva was as soon as once more at fault for bringing down Luca Lochoshvili.

Roberto Martinez won’t be overly involved after making eight adjustments to the aspect that beat Turkey 3-0, with Portugal heading into this night’s sport having already received Group F.

Willy Sagnol’s aspect undergo as the most effective third-placed groups and can now face Spain within the final 16, whereas Portugal will tackle Slovenia.

Following a 3-1 defeat in opposition to Turkey and a 1-1 draw final time in opposition to the Czech Republic, something however a win for Georgia would have seen them knocked out however they obtained off to the proper begin.

Silva’s wayward move inside gave the Crusaders their first touches of the ball however they broke shortly and Kvaratskhelia made no mistake together with his end as his left-footed strike flashed previous Diogo Costa into the underside proper nook.

Sagnol’s aspect had been a lot more durable to interrupt down that of their earlier video games as they sat in a low block with Portugal struggling to create something of actual high quality.

Their finest opening within the first half got here as a intelligent Joao Palhinha reverse move seemed to have freed Cristiano Ronaldo, however Giorgi Gvelesiani got here throughout to dam his effort beautifully.

Georgia had been anticipated to take a seat even deeper within the second half nevertheless it was simply 10 minutes after the interval that Silva introduced down Lochoshvili and allowed Makautadze to transform his second penalty of the event.

The Metz ahead is now the main scorer within the event having scored in every of Georgia’s three group video games.

It was a sloppy and torpid second interval from the 2016 champions and apart from a few long-range efforts from Diogo Dalot, it took till added time for them to carve the Crusaders open.

Martinez’s aspect created two probabilities in as many minutes, coming closest by means of a low pushed effort from Francisco Conceicao that flashed vast of the put up.

However it was a deserved victory for Sagnol’s aspect, who defended nicely in a compact block however all the time seemed harmful on the counter and pressed with vitality on the proper moments.

Portugal will sit up for the return of the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva and Ruben Dias who got a full relaxation forward of the spherical of 16.

Within the 90 seconds of Portugal possession that we noticed earlier than Georgia’s opener, Sagnol’s sport plan was evident as his aspect dropped right into a compact 5-3-2 formation.

The previous Champions League winner’s workforce speak would have been alongside the traces of ‘sit deep, take in the strain and take an opportunity if it comes our approach’.

The Crusaders wouldn’t have anticipated this opportunity to return with their first transfer lower than two minutes into the match however the link-up between the 2 centre forwards and the medical end confirmed a workforce filled with confidence, perception and – most significantly – high quality.

Georgia continued to look harmful on the counter-attack by means of the hold-up play and vitality of Kvaratskhelia and Mikautadze whereas wanting stable defensively.

Sagnol will take confidence from this efficiency that his workforce has clicked and located a working formulation forward of their assembly with Spain – the one aspect to undergo the group stage with a 100% report.

Not solely did he take his purpose in excellent trend, however the Napoli ahead was a continuing menace all through the 90 minutes and will have maybe doubled his tally within the second half when the ball fell to him 12 yards out. It wasn’t simply his purpose menace that brought on issues, the 23-year-old held the ball up excellently, giving his aspect moments of relaxation from the Portuguese strain and at one level dribbled spherical 4 defenders earlier than successful the free-kick.

Georgia: Mamardashvili 8, Gvelesiani 8, Kashia 8, Dvali 7, Lochoshvili 7, Chakvetadze 8, Kochorashvili 7, Kiteishvili 6, Kakabdaze 7, Mikautadze 8, Kvaratskhelia 9*. Subs: Tsitaishvili 6, Kvirkvelia 5, Mekvabishvili 5, Davitashvili 6.

Portugal: Costa 5, Pereira 6, Silva 4, Inacio 5, Dalot 6, Palhinha 7, Neves 6, Neto 5, Conceicao 6, Felix 6, Ronaldo 5. Subs: Neves 4, Ramos 5, Semedo 5, Jota 6, Nunes 5.

90+3′ – BEST CHANCE OF THE HALF FOR PORTUGAL: Conceicao fires a low effort throughout the purpose. Jota tries to flick it in nevertheless it goes simply vast of the far put up. I am undecided how that stayed out.

57′ – GOAL! GEORGIA 2-0 PORTUGAL: (Mikautadze) Mikautadze steps as much as plate and cooly converts the penalty to Costa’s left. The keeper goes the best approach however it’s tucked nicely into the nook.

55′ – PENALTY GIVEN FOR GEORGIA: The referee is instructed to go and verify the problem by Silva on Lochoshvili. The Portuguese defender will get slight contact on the Georgia participant and the referee factors to the spot.

52′ – MASSIVE CHANCE FOR GEORGIA: The ball is pulled again into in direction of Mikautadze who misses it nevertheless it falls completely to Kvaratskhelia within the centre of the field however he fluffs his traces and scuffs it into the arms of Costa.

2′ – GOAL! GEORGIA 1-0 PORTUGAL: (Kvaratskhelia) A sloppy move from Silva presents Georgia the ball and Kvaratskheilia races by means of earlier than dispatching his effort into the underside proper nook with a left-footed strike.