Georgia certified for Euro 2024 on Tuesday, profitable their play-off towards Greece 4-2 on penalties after a 0-0 draw on the finish of additional time to advance to their first-ever main event finals.
Nika Kvekveskiri stroked within the decisive penalty within the shoot-out to spark a pitch invasion from followers on the Boris Paichadze Stadium in Tbilisi after Tasos Bakasetas and Giorgos Giakoumakis each failed to attain from the spot for Greece.
Shock European champions in 2004, Greece’s defeat means their wait to qualify for a primary main event for the reason that 2014 World Cup goes on.
Ranked 77th on the planet, Georgia will be a part of Turkey, Portugal and the Czech Republic in Group F on the European Championship in Germany in June.
It will likely be their first look at a significant event for the reason that nation within the Caucasus of three.7 million individuals gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
That they had by no means come near qualifying earlier than, till shedding in a play-off on the identical stage in qualifying for the final Euro, taking place 1-0 at residence to North Macedonia in 2020.
This time they completed fourth out of 5 groups of their qualifying group, with their solely two wins each coming towards backside facet Cyprus.
Nonetheless, their earlier performances within the UEFA Nations League gave them an opportunity to advance by way of the play-offs, and so they beat Luxembourg at residence in final week’s semi-finals to arrange Tuesday’s decider.
Coached by former France worldwide Willy Sagnol, Georgia’s undisputed star man is the Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
He was not on the pitch for the penalty shoot-out, having been substituted in additional time of a sport missing in possibilities.
Greece got here closest to scoring when defender Konstantinos Mavropanos headed towards the bar in additional time.
But their captain Bakasetas had his penalty, Greece’s first within the shoot-out, repelled by the Georgia goalkeeper, Giorgi Mamardashvili of Valencia.
Georges Mikautadze then missed for Georgia, that means the perimeters have been all sq. till Giakoumakis of Atlanta United squandered Greece’s fourth kick, permitting Kvekveskiri to attain the winner.
PUNCH On-line reviews that the UEFA EURO 2024 kicks off in Munich, Germany, on Friday, June 14, and ends with the ultimate in Berlin on Sunday, July 14, 2024.
AFP
