Georgia stunned Group F winners Portugal in Gelsenkirchen to reach the knockout stages for the first time.
Willy Sagnol’s side were fearless, energised, organised and disciplined against the former winners, who had won all 12 games since they exited the World Cup in the quarter-final in Qatar in 2022.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia streaked away to slam the minnows into a dream lead just 93 seconds in after Georges Mikautadze had played a fine through-ball.
Keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili and the well-drilled Georgian defence kept Cristiano Ronaldo – on his record 50th international tournament appearance – at bay and Mikautadze was able to seal the win from the penalty spot on 67 minutes after a VAR intervention.
His third goal in as many games took him into leadership of the race for the golden boot and took World No 74 Georgia into the knockout phase.
They will face 2008 and 2012 winners Spain in the Round of 16 on Sunday (8pm BST) in their first major tournament while Portugal will face Slovenia.
Ronaldo failed to score in the group stage of a major international tournament for the first time in his career, at the 11th attempt, having found the net at every Euros or World Cup from 2004 to 2022.
Not Ronaldo’s night 😬#GEOPOR #BBCEuros #Euro2024 pic.twitter.com/s53OxWuhRz
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) June 26, 2024
Ronaldo keeps his place
Portugal boss Roberto Martinez made eight changes, with only Joao Palhinha and Ronaldo retaining their outfield places from the win over Turkey, and employed a back-three, which was soon in tatters.
Georgia took a stunning lead after just 93 seconds as Antonio Silva conceded possession cheaply in midfield and Mikautadze played a perfect through ball into the path of Kvaratskhelia who tore away from Silva before slotting low and hard past Diogo Costa into the corner.
It was the Napoli man’s 16th goal for Georgia in just 33 games.
Ronaldo zipped a 35-yard free-kick through the air which Mamardashvili did well to watch…
Source link : https://www.101greatgoals.com/news/euro-2024-portugal-0-2-georgia-georgia-stun-ronaldo-co-to-reach-last-16/
Author : Alex Hoad
Publish date : 2024-06-26 20:55:30
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