When the news of Portugal's 2-0 defeat to Georgia broke, the whole football world was shocked. It was an unbelievable matchup and an incredible result. Today, let's take a closer look at the story behind the game.
Pre-match analysis
Portugal and Georgia meet at the Schalke Stadium in Gelsenkirchen in the final round of Group F of the European Championship group stage. Portugal are ranked 6th in the world and have won their first two games in the group stage to qualify early and secure the top spot in the group. And Georgia, ranked 74th in the world, played in the European Championship for the first time, with 1 draw and 1 loss in the first two rounds.
Although Portugal had already qualified, the 39-year-old Ronaldo still started the game. However, Portugal made eight changes to their starting line-up for the game, a change that may have set the stage for the subsequent result.
A recap of the game
As soon as the game started, the Portuguese team suffered an unexpected blow. Just 92 seconds later, Antonio Silva's return pass was mistaken and Georgia's Mikautadze seized the opportunity and quickly advanced to the front of the pitch to Kvaratskhelia on the left, who calmly fired a low left-footed shot into the net from inside the box to give Georgia a surprise 1-0 lead. This scene shocked all the audience, after all, it was a fantastic start.
Portugal didn't give up on that. In the ensuing matches, they showed their strength and determination. In the 16th minute, Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up, and his free kick went straight to the goal like a cannonball. Unfortunately, Georgia's goalkeeper Mamadashvili reacted quickly and saved the ball off the line. Not to be outdone in the 23rd minute, Palhinha's volley in front of the box was equally threatening, but was also held by Mamadashvili. Portugal missed a couple of good chances, but their attacking momentum did not wane, and the suspense of the game remained.
Portugal suffered a controversial decision in the 28th minute. Cristiano Ronaldo, the superstar on the pitch, was relentlessly dragged by his opponents in the penalty area, but was denied a penalty. The Portuguese hero responded with a yellow card in response to the Portuguese hero's protests. This scene undoubtedly made many fans confused and dissatisfied.
Then, in the 30th minute, the Portuguese team showed their indomitable spirit. In a delicate combination, Felix volleyed from outside the box like a meteor across the night sky, only to miss the post and miss the goal. This series of events undoubtedly added a bit of drama to the first half of the game for the Portuguese team.
When the whistle blew again in the second half, the fighting spirit of the Portuguese team did not diminish because of the half-time deficit, and they still sweated on the green field, looking for a good opportunity to score. In the 47th minute, Portugal got a corner kick opportunity, the ball flew across the penalty area, Ronaldo was lightning fast, and volleyed with his left foot, but unfortunately, the ball hit a defender who fell to the ground, and finally unfortunately flew off the bottom line.
As the minutes ticked by, the game entered the 57th minute, and the situation on the field changed dramatically. Antonio Silva accidentally brought down Lojoshvili in the box and the referee awarded a penalty to Georgia after being assisted by VAR. Mikautadze didn't waste the opportunity and slotted the ball into the net to give Georgia a 2-0 lead.
In the 60th minute, Felix cleverly picked up a pass on the left side of the field, and Ronaldo was again pulled by a defender in the penalty area, but the referee did not give a penalty. In the 65th minute, Martinez made the decision to make a substitution, replacing Cristiano Ronaldo, who was clearly unhappy with the decision, angrily kicking the water bottle on the sideline as he left the pitch.
As the game drew to a close, Georgia showed stubborn defence and they didn't give Portugal any chances to keep the score 2-0 until the end.
Starting line-ups:
Three incredible
(1) In the last ten minutes of the game, Portugal's attacking strategy seemed a little confusing. The Portuguese players on the pitch seemed to be a bit resistant to crosses, preferring to play short passes in the midfield area and only try to shoot from distance when they are forced to do so. However, even such attempts often end in a straight line for the ball, raising questions about whether they are deliberately avoiding the chance to score. Jota's performance in front of goal, in particular, was even more confusing. His goal-grabbing action, which looked like he deliberately let the ball slip past him, and his teammates at the back of the post could only watch the ball fly off the line, made one wonder if it was a tactical arrangement, or was it the hesitation of the players at the crucial moments?
(2) The performances of Inácio and João Neves were indeed a big surprise. Inacio's defensive performance has been full of mistakes, and he always seems to be half a beat slow in the face of the challenge of high balls, which makes one wonder if he is on the court. As for the return pass, it makes people sweat and make frequent mistakes, which makes people want to ask: Is this playing football, or is it staging a "mistake highlight"? And João Neves, the highly-anticipated rising star of Portugal's midfield, seems to be overly cautious on the pitch. His passing options, always leaning towards a safe and uncreative "nanny ball", can be particularly lethal in tight positional battles. There were a couple of great opportunities to accelerate and put pressure on his opponent, but he chose to play it safe and didn't show the desire and courage to attack.
(3) Cristiano Ronaldo's departure seems to have had a big impact on the Portuguese team. Although he didn't find the back of the net in the game, at least his presence kept the opposition defence on their toes. However, things didn't seem to be getting better when Ramos took his place. Ramos' performance on the pitch did not seem to put much pressure on the opponent, and it can even be said that he barely touched the ball.
Second, it is an indisputable fact
(1) Martinez's tactical board can be described as unpredictable on the stage of the European Championship. In the journey of the group stage, his lineup seems to be moving forward in constant exploration. In the first game against the Czech Republic, although the formation of the three central defenders brought victory, the process was full of twists and turns, and finally ended in a stunner. He then switched to a back four, and the result was a 3-1 win over Turkey. The good times didn't last long, and when they tried again with a three-centre-back, the team lost unexpectedly. This makes one wonder if a solid defense and quick counter-attack are the way to go in a high-intensity matchup like a cup competition.
(2) Felix seems to be a bit too lone ranger, and in corner kick moments, he chooses short passes instead of long ones, even though Ronaldo is ready to receive the ball. It begs the question of whether such a choice makes his time on the bench a matter of course. And the other newcomer on the field didn't seem to show the sense of presence he should have, and the performance on both sides also seemed a little abnormal. Despite Felix dominating the most possession, he doesn't seem to be playing as well as he should.
Dear fans, what do you have to say about this game? Feel free to leave a message in the comment area!