Georgia certified for Euro 2024 because of a 4-2 shootout win over Greece after a tense playoff closing ended 0-0 following further time on Tuesday to succeed in their first main event.
Georgia’s Nika Kvekveskiri transformed his spot kick after Greece’s Giorgos Giakoumakis put his penalty vast to ship the house crowd wild as their facet edged via to the finals.
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Georgia will likely be in Group F alongside Portugal, Turkey and Czech Republic on the Euros in Germany which start on June 14.
Giorgi Mamardashvili saved Greece’s first effort from Anastasios Bakasetas after the hosts had taken the lead within the shootout however Georgia’s Georges Mikautadze missed his spot kick to present the Greeks renewed hope.
Nevertheless, Giakoumakis despatched Greece’s fourth penalty previous the publish to go away Georgia’s Kvekveskiri because the hero when he stored his cool and squeezed his right-foot kick into the web.
“Some didn’t consider in us however now they’ll consider it. We’re completely satisfied. I’ve by no means had such an emotion in my life,” Georgia talisman Khvicha Kvaratskhelia instructed 1TV Sport.
GIORGI ARJEVANIDZE/AFP through Getty Photos
The house crowd loved watched Georgia beat Luxembourg 2-0 within the playoff semifinal final Thursday however have been made to undergo via Tuesday’s shootout earlier than celebrating as by no means earlier than.
Supervisor Willy Sagnol made one change from the Luxembourg win, with key ahead Kvaratskhelia getting back from suspension, whereas Greece’s Gus Poyet named the identical facet after the 5-0 thrashing of Kazakhstan of their semi-final.
The sport was a scrappy, nervy affair, with possibilities in regular time few and much between. Tempers flared on the stroke of halftime as each benches spilled onto the pitch with Georgia’s substitute keeper Giorgi Loria proven a crimson card.
Fouls on Kvaratskhelia led to a few bookings for Greek defenders within the first half however the influential ahead went off injured in further time and will solely watch from the sidelines as his crew mates triumphed within the shootout.
The sport got here to life near the tip of the opening interval of additional time, with Georgia keeper Mamardashvili getting right down to push away a shot from Bakasetas and Greece’s Konstantinos Mavropanos hitting the bar with a header.
Georgia then had the possibility to grab a winner when Georges Mikautadze handed to Zuriko Davitashvili on the fringe of the six- yard field however his close-range effort was saved by Odysseas Vlachodimos and penalties appeared inevitable.
The optimistic dwelling crowd displayed a banner earlier than the sport which learn “Breaking information, Georgia make historical past” and, ultimately, they might wave it proudly when Kvekveskiri’s decisive penalty hit the again of the web to ship their crew to Germany.
Georgia misplaced a playoff for Euro 2020 additionally in Tbilisi towards North Macedonia however this time the delirious dwelling supporters have been on the pitch celebrating as their facet lastly made it to a significant finals on the fifteenth try.
“Due to the Georgian followers,” Kvaratskhelia mentioned. “I’ve performed in lots of stadiums however I have never seen such assist anyplace. You have been a very powerful issue.”
Greece have been European champions in 2004 however their final look in a significant event was on the 2014 World Cup. They’ve now did not qualify for the final two World Cup tournaments and three European Championships.
