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Georgia pulled off a surprising 2-0 victory over former champions Portugal, On Wednesday, securing their spot in the knockout stage at Euro 2024, their inaugural appearance in a major tournament.
The game was decided by an early goal from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and a penalty kick from Georges Mikautadze.
Despite facing a mostly reserve squad from Portugal, who had already advanced to the next round, this win marked a historic achievement for Georgia since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
Willy Sagnol, a former Bayern Munich and France defender, and his team earned a well-deserved third-place finish in Group F of the tournament.
Their victory has now secured them a spot in the last-16 where they will face three-time Euro winners Spain.
Additionally, Georgia's win has determined the match-ups for the round of 16, with England facing Slovakia, Romania taking on Netherlands, and Portugal meeting Slovenia.
Hungary, who had been competing for a place in the next round, were narrowly defeated.
The newcomers to the tournament gained the advantage within the first two minutes when Kvaratskhelia, the winger from Napoli, swiftly moved forward after a sloppy pass by Antonio Silva.
He then struck a strong low shot into Portugal's goal past Diogo Costa.
Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the three starters for Portugal who also played in their 3-0 win over Turkey on Saturday, put in great effort and determination in every play.
He aimed to become the oldest goal scorer at a Euro tournament at the age of 39. However, Georgia's strong defense and counterattacking tactics made it difficult for Portugal.
In the 53rd minute, Silva's foul in the penalty box resulted in a penalty kick after a VAR check.
Mikautadze, who assisted Kvaratskhelia for the opening goal, scored a penalty kick, making him the current top scorer at Euro 2024 with three goals.
Ronaldo received a booking in the first half and showed frustration when he was substituted, kicking a water bottle.
Georgia's goalkeeper, Giorgi Mamardashvili, made crucial saves to keep Portugal from scoring in the final minutes.
At the end of the game, Georgia's team and coaching staff rushed onto the field to celebrate in front of their enthusiastic fans.
Reuters/NAN
