The third round of the group stage of Euro 2024 brought a shocking game, with Georgia beating the mighty Portugal 2-0 to become one of the biggest upsets of this tournament.
Georgia, ranked 77th in the world, is making its debut at the European Championships. Their path has not been smooth, with a tortuous path from finishing bottom of the European qualifiers to qualifying through the UEFA Nations League play-offs. With their tenacious will and solid squad, the small team won an unprecedented opportunity to advance to the main stage of the European Championship for the first time.
Portugal, ranked 6th in the world, has a total value of 1.05 billion euros. Under Martinez's leadership, they showed a strong appearance in the group stage, with two consecutive victories securing them into top of the group.
In this match, Georgia showed a fearless attacking momentum. Just two minutes into the game, Kvaratskhelia capitalised on his opponent's mistake and quickly broke the deadlock to give Georgia a valuable lead. The goal not only instilled confidence in the team, but also allowed them to show their ability to play both offensively and defensively on the pitch.
In the second half, the game continued, and Georgia still maintained a high level of concentration and tense rhythm. Mikautadze sealed the win for his side with a penalty kick at a crucial moment in the game. His calmness and decisiveness allowed the entire Georgian team to maintain consistency in tight matches, ensuring that their attacks kept under constant pressure and did not leave Portugal with any respite.
Despite having a 72 per cent advantage in possession throughout the game, Portugal failed to convert them into goals. With a solid defense and superb counter-attacking tactics, the Georgian team successfully blocked the opponent's attack firmly from the sidelines. Even though Portugal tried several times to break Georgia's bucket formation with long balls and corners, their efforts ultimately failed to pay off as they deserved.
The result not only meant that Georgia ended Portugal's 12-game winning streak, but also allowed them to reach the group stage for the first time in the history of the European Championship. It was a dramatic and meaningful victory, not just for the team, but for the entire national football team. The Georgian team has shown unity and determination as a whole, with each player giving it their all for a common goal, and this team spirit is undoubtedly the key to their success.
In this European Cup, the Georgian team ushered in a historic victory, and their performance caught the fans off guard. Netizens took to social media to share their views and reactions to the competition.
"The Georgian team is amazing! With such a team ranked 77th in the world, to beat Portugal is simply the biggest upset in the history of the European Championship! They are very methodical in attack and defence, and they are not afraid of the Portugal team, which is worth a whopping 1.05 billion euros. What a surprise! "
"I can't believe it when I see Georgia win! This is their first time participating in the main match of the European Cup, and they have achieved such dazzling results, it is a football fairy tale! Their goalscoring moves and counter-attacking tactics were fantastic! "
Portugal fans expressed their disappointment and surprise after the game. They had expected Ronaldo to be able to salvage the situation at a crucial moment, but the end result was disappointing.
"It was a heartbreaking match! Portugal obviously has an absolute possession advantage, but they just can't break Georgia's iron bucket defense! No matter how hard Ronaldo tried, he couldn't change the course of the game. "The Portuguese team is too dependent on Cristiano Ronaldo, and he really can't support the whole team on his own. The Georgian defence was so tenacious that our shots hit the post! "
After the match, social media was flooded with discussion and analysis about the match. Netizens are talking about the outstanding performance of the Georgian team and the defeat of the Portuguese team, this game is not only a competition, but also a shock in the football world. Georgia will face an even tougher knockout stage, while Portugal will need to recalibrate and prepare for the challenges ahead. They are coming up against Slovenia and this match will be a crucial moment for them to show their strength and boost their morale.
Netizens have different opinions on Kvaratskhelia's performance in this game. Some netizens believe that Kvaratskhelia's performance in the game was quite good, especially his two key saves in the second half, which directly affected the direction of the game. A netizen with the ID of "Football Fan Dabai" commented: "Kvaratskhelia was very solid today, and his two saves were simply the salvation of the game!" Our goalkeeper has finally shown his top quality. "This positive assessment reflects the positive attitude of the fans towards Kvaratskhelia's performance in key moments.
Not all netizens are optimistic about Kvaratskhelia's performance. Some believe that several of his mistakes in the game led to the opponent's goal, which also directly affected the team's record. A netizen who claimed to be a "football fan Xiaogang" commented: "Kvaratskhelia's form today is really bad, and he can't stop the goal that can be avoided, which is the main reason for our loss!" "This criticism shows that some fans are disappointed and unhappy that the goalkeeper has failed to fulfill his responsibility to protect the goal at a crucial moment.
On social media, the match sparked heated discussions. It has been pointed out that Kvaratskhelia's performances in the tournament reflect the volatility of his recent form, with some periods of outstanding ability and some lows at others. A netizen with the ID "Voice of the Fans" wrote: "Kvaratskhelia's performance today is a testament to his strengths and weaknesses as a goalkeeper, with sometimes his ability being amazing, but occasionally there are a few mistakes that look like they shouldn't have conceded. This neutral and objective view reflects the rational assessment of Kvaratskhelia's overall performance by some fans.
The match showcased the vagaries of the world of football and the courage of small countries to challenge strong teams, and Georgia's victory not only put them in the spotlight of this tournament, but also injected new excitement and expectations into global football.
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