Georgia secured a historic 2-0 victory over Portugal, advancing to the last 16 of Euro 2024 in their first major tournament. This remarkable win sets up a clash with Spain in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday.
Portugal, already assured of first place in Group F, made eight changes to their lineup, which contributed to their disjointed performance. They will need improvements when they face Slovenia in Frankfurt on Monday.
Georgia started strong, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scoring in just two minutes after capitalizing on an error by Antonio Silva. Georges Mikautadze provided the assist, sending Kvaratskhelia through to finish past Diogo Costa.
Silva’s struggles continued as he fouled Luka Lochoshvili in the area, leading to a penalty after a pitchside review. Mikautadze converted the spot-kick, becoming the tournament’s leading scorer and cementing Georgia’s victory.
Mikautadze, who was born in France, has now scored in all three of Georgia’s matches, making a significant impact at Euro 2024. His career had a resurgence after a loan move to Metz, where he regained form, scoring 12 times before the tournament.
Portugal, despite already securing top spot in the group, fielded Cristiano Ronaldo for his third match in eight days. However, Ronaldo struggled to find the net, lacking the explosive service he needs. Roberto Martinez’s experimental lineup failed, with a vulnerable backline and ineffective wing play.
As Georgia advances as one of the best third-placed teams, Portugal will need to regroup and find a consistent system to maximize Ronaldo’s contributions in their upcoming knockout match against Slovenia.
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