EURO 2024
Georgia stun Portugal to reach knockouts
Willy Sagnol won five Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich and the Georgia coach was celebrating on German soil once again as his team rocked Portugal in Gelsenkirchen to reach the Euro 2024 Round of 16.
Georgia 2-0 Portugal
Goals: 1-0 Kvaratskhelia 2' (assist: Mikautadze), 2-0 Mikautadze (pen.) 57'
Guaranteed a spot in the last 16 as Group F winners, Portugal could afford to make eight changes to their side for their final game in the section at the Veltins-Arena. Conversely, Georgia had to win this encounter if they wanted to join their opponents in the tournament knockouts. Sagnol's men started with an early intensity that put the Portuguese under pressure and when António Silva misplaced a pass after just two minutes, Georgia pounced. Metz forward Georges Mikautadze raced forward and expertly picked out Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who drilled left footed across goalkeeper Diogo Costa and into the corner. Portugal pressed for an equaliser thereafter but Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. were kept at bay by some solid work from Giorgi Mamardashvili in the Georgia goal. The 2016 European champions looked to regroup after the restart, however, they were stunned once again when VAR spotted António Silva's kick on Luka Lochoshvili inside the area. Mikautadze stepped up and, in a nerveless display, found the corner of the net with the perfect penalty. It would prove the perfect night for Sagnol and his battling side, who held firm to celebrate their passage through as one of the best third-placed teams in their maiden appearance at a European Championship.