Georgia v Portugal LIVE: Result and reaction as Kvaratskhelia and Mikautadze goals earn shock win
Georgia 2-0 Portugal: A major upset sees Georgia qualify reach the knockout rounds for the first time in their history.
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Your support makes all the difference.Georgia produced one of the most surprising results at Euro 2024 when they defeated Portugal 2-0 to qualify for the knockout stages a a major tournament for the very first time.
The eastern European nation registered the mot historic win as goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Georges Mikautadze ensured they finished third in Group F.
That saw them qualify for the last 16 where they will play Spain, while Portugal meet Slovenia and England’s opponents are now confirmed to be Slovakia.
Portugal’s position as Group F winners was secured with wins in their opening two games, so boss Roberto Martinez made eight changes to his starting XI though Cristiano Ronaldo retained his place at the head of the line.
Relive the updates and reaction to Group F’s finale below:
KICK-OFF! Georgia 0-0 Portugal
KICK-OFF!
The Selecao get us underway in Gelsenkirchen.
Head-to-head
Portugal and Georgia have only met once before, and that was in a friendly in 2008. A Portugal side containing Ricardo Carvalho, Deco, Pepe and Ronaldo won 2-0 on the night, with goals coming from Joao Moutinho and Simao.
Tonight marks what could be Georgia’s final game in their first ever appearance at a major international tournament, though they would qualify for the last 16 if they were to win.
The tournament’s lowest-ranked side have won the hearts of many after valiant performances against Turkey and the Czech Republic, though they have faced more shots (49) and more shots on target (20) than any other side in the opening two group games.
Georges Mikautadze has two goals so far for the minnows, and he could become the third player to score his team’s first three goals at a European Championship, after Gerd Muller and Hristo Stoichkov.
For Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo could become the oldest player to score at the Euros if he scores tonight. Luka Modric currently holds that record after netting against Italy a few days ago!
The Cristiano Ronaldo circus provokes a serious question over Portugal’s Euro 2024 hopes
Here’s the report from Portugal’s second game...
As one man took centre stage in a circus, a properly serious team got on with the business of convincingly winning football matches around him. Is this to be the story of Portugal at Euro 2024?
Perhaps it really is the sign of a new team that, as a goal stood at Cristiano Ronaldo’s mercy, he shockingly passed for another player to score. It wasn’t the only moment where he threw back the years. There was also the moment when he beat a defender with a step-over to cross, something he hasn’t actually done in maybe a decade.
For all that, such contributions were largely at the fringes of a game, which was already won by the Selecao’s more influential modern players, though there is no doubting the main event of Roberto Martinez’s side.
After Ronaldo had passed for Bruno Fernandes to make it 3-0 against Turkey and secure top spot in the group, all of the players ran to the provider rather than scorer, the 39-year-old’s arms aloft. The Portuguese crowd sang his name more than anyone else.
Even the Turkish crowd, who deafeningly booed every opposition player when the teams were read out, stopped to raucously cheer the No 7. It was maybe a sign of what was to come. For all the hysterical noise Turkey made, some of it on the pitch, they were all too easily quietened.
The Ronaldo circus provokes a serious question over Portugal’s Euro 2024 hopes
Turkey 0-3 Portugal: The superstar remains involved in Roberto Martinez’s side, but his fluid teammates could reach another level without him
Line-ups
GEORGIA XI: Mamardashvili; Gvelesiani, Kashia, Dvali; Kakabadze, Kochorashvili, Chakvetadze, Kiteishvili , Lochoshvilli; Mikautadze, Kvaratskhelia.
PORTUGAL XI: Costa, Silva, Pereira, Inacio; Dalot, Neves, Palhinha, Neto; Conceicao, Ronaldo, Felix.
Portugal have already secured their place at the top of Euro 2024 Group F when they eased to victory over Turkey but will take on Georgia in the final group game.
Turkey were beaten 3-0 when Portugal, spearheaded by Cristiano Ronaldo for the second successive game, showed their superior quality. Although the match was marred by four pitch invaders who bypassed security guards to try and get pictures with Ronaldo, with two more attempting to follow suit after the final whistle.
Georgia still hold onto an outside chance of reaching the knockouts in their first European Championship, but they would need to beat Portugal and also hope the Czech Republic beat Turkey. Should both those things happen it would come down to overall goal difference between Georgia and the Czech team.
Ronaldo received praise for his decision to pass the ball for Bruno Fernandes in the game against Turkey, but his image remains bigger than that of the Portuguese team and it is likely to follow the team as far as they go in the tournament.
Euro 2024: Georgia v Portugal
Good afternoon and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of Georgia vs Portugal in the final round of games in Group F.
Kick-off is at 8pm BST, with Georgia looking to spring a surprise result against a Portugal side that has already won the group.
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