The Georgia by Willy Sagnol scares the Spain by Luis De La Fuente who, however, in the end deservedly snatches the pass to the quarter-finals of Euro 2024. After 15′ of absolute domination for the Iberians, it is instead the Georgians who take the surprise lead with the awkward own goal from Le Normand which in an attempt to anticipate Kvaratskhelia he instead hits his goal with the innocent Unai Simon in disbelief. The Red Furies were not discouraged and first found the equalizer at the end of the first half with a great shot from Rodri’s left foot, surgically into the corner, and then spread in the second half. Fabian Ruiz’s header in the 51st minute on an assist from Yamal fixed the score at 2-1 with goals from Nico Williams, wonderful, and that of Dani Olmo fixing the score at the final 4-1. The Red Furies suffered justly against a well-organised Georgia who tried to play it openly and with their cards at their disposal.
What makes the difference, in addition to experience, is also a technical rate significantly favored by Spain, which wins its fourth match of this European Championship after beating Croatia, Italia and Albania. In the quarter-finals, Luis De La Fuente’s national team will face Julian Nagelsmann’s hosts Germany and the match will be played on Friday 5 July in Stuttgart. The semi-final of Euro 2024 is up for grabs and the two teams that have done significantly better among the big teams will face each other, with the Iberians starting out slightly favored from a technical and playing point of view compared to Germany who will instead have on their side the fact of playing at home. Nine goals scored and only one conceded by Spain who want to reach the final of this European Championship: first, however, they will have to overcome the German wall and it will not be at all easy for De La Fuente’s men.
The match report
Second half
THE END – IT ENDS HERE! SPAIN WINS 4-1 AND QUALIFIES FOR THE EURO 2024 QUARTER-FINAL
90′ – There will be three minutes of added time!
89′ – Nico Williams comes close to scoring again! Rejects the Georgian defense
83′ – GOLLLLL! 4-1! Dani Olmo plays the ball from his right to his left and strikes the Georgian goalkeeper with a precise shot
80′ – Yamal close to 4-1! Mamardashvili still very good
79′ – Last two changes for Georgia: Gvelesiani out and Zivzivadze and Kvekveskiri in
75′ – HERE IT IS 3-1 FOR SPAIN! NICO WILLIAMS WITH THE FIRST GOAL IN THIS EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP! Great personal action by the Athletic Bilbao striker who aims at an opponent, easily skips him and then hits Mamardashvili with a right foot! 3-1 Spain
74′ – Spain makes it 3-1 thanks to an own goal from Yamal’s cross shot: everything stopped due to a VAR check due to Yamal’s offside position. CANCELED
71′ – Devitashvili is booked
68′ – Great opening by Kvara for the newly entered Tsitaishvili who instead of putting it in the middle kicks out!
66′ – Double substitution also in Spain: a dull Morata out and Cucurella in Oyarzabal and Grimaldo
64′ – Double substitution in Georgia: Lochoshvili and Chakvetadze out and Tsitaishvili and Davitashvili in
63′ – Bad mistake by Kochorashvili who serves Yamal inside the penalty area: the young attacker however wastes it by kicking out from an excellent position
59′ – Yamal points at his opponent and is cornered
56′ – Kvaratskhelia possessed! Morata loses the ball and Georgia starts again with the Napoli player aiming for the goal, misses a couple but is then closed by the return of Carvajal
52′ – Change in Spain: Pedri out, Dani Olmo in
51′ – Yamal’s shot: Mamardashvili flies and parries it! The action continues with Yamal putting it in the middle for Ruiz to push it into the net!
50′ – Dangerous free kick from the edge of the area for Spain
48′ – KVARATSKHELIA ATTEMPTS THE BEST GOAL FROM MIDFIELD! Spain loses the ball and Georgia restarts with the Napoli player who sees Simon out of goal just before the midfield line and tries with his left foot: a shiver for the Iberians and the ball goes just wide
47′ – Spain still on the attack: Georgia defends itself with order
46′ – No changes for both national teams
– Let’s start once again!
First half
INT – AN ENTERTAINING FIRST HALF ENDS HERE! 1-1 IN COLOGNE. SEE YOU SOON FOR THE SECOND HALF
45′ – There will be two minutes of added time
44′ – Morata fouls Lochoshvili and the former Juventus striker is shown a yellow card
41′ – Injury for Georgia who is forced to change: Kiteishvili out, Altunashvili in
40 – REGULAR GOAL! 1-1!
39′ – SPAIN EQUALS! RODRI! Nico Williams serves Rodri who beats Mamardashvili with his left foot! We need to evaluate the positions of Williams at the start of the move and then Morata who is in the path of Rodri’s shot!
38′ – Pedri serves Nico Williams very well and he shoots: he saves Mamardashvili!
35′ – Mamardashvili still attentive to Cucurella’s left-footed shot from outside the area
34′ – Another Georgian counterattack and the first corner of the match for the national team coached by Sagnol
31′ – Mikautadze wastes everything! Georgia’s restart action with the player owned by Ajax who is selfish and instead of serving Kvara in the area he tries to dribble on Le Normand and then lets himself fall: everything is fine, rightly so, according to the referee
30′ – Spain is pushing but Georgia is now brave and is playing it openly and on the counterattack. Kvaratskhelia starts the counterattack but then the Iberians close up
25′ – Foul by Morata while retreating… he is the big absentee of these first 25 minutes of the game for Spain
22′ – Rodri serves Fabian Ruiz who shoots: the attentive Mamardashvili blocks on the ground
20′ – The surprise goal fired up Georgia and they now have more courage
18′ – Georgia surprisingly takes the lead on the first lunge! Kvaratskhelia changes the game for Kakabadze who puts it in the middle: Le Normand, to anticipate the Napoli player, however, puts it into her goal!
13′ – Yamal passes to Pedri who backheels a teammate who shoots: blocked. The action continues and Spain wins another corner
12′ – Spain’s enveloping action, the ball reaches Williams who doesn’t think twice and shoots but it’s deflected into a corner
11′ – Carvajal heads the ball! Mamardashvili saves everything and then the defense takes refuge in the corner again
10′ – The Iberians press: Fabian Ruiz earns another corner
08′ – Cucurella gets to the back and puts it in the middle: corner for the Red Furies
07′ – Georgia tries to stretch out with a counterattack: but everything stops due to an offensive foul on Cucurella
05′ – Dangerous ball inside the Georgian penalty area with Pedri who in stretcher reaches to touch the ball with his toe: Mamardashvili saves
02′ – Spain immediately dangerous, Georgian defence clears two attempts by Morata first and then Fabian Ruiz
01′ – First ball played by Spain
– Off we went!
The scoreboard
Spain: Unai Simon, Carvajal (81′ Jesus Navas), Le Normand, Laporte, Cucurella (66′ Grimaldo), Pedri (52′ Dani Olmo), Rodri, Fabian Ruiz (81′ Merino), Yamal, Morata (66′ Oyarzabal) , Nico Williams. Technical commissioner Luis De La Fuente
Georgia: Mamardashvili; Gvelesiani (79′ Kvekveskiri), Kashia, Dvali; Kakabadze, Kiteishvili (41′ Altunashvili), Chakvetadze (64′ Tsitaishvili) , Kochorashvili, Lochoshvili (64′ Davitashvili) Mikautadze (79′ Zivzivadze), Kvaratskhelia Commissario tecnico: Willy Sagnol.
Markers: 18′ aut Le Normand (G), 39′ Rodri (S), 51′ Fabian Ruiz (S), 75′ Nico Williams (S), 83′ Dani Olmo (S)
Warned: Morata (S), Davitashvili (G)
Referee: Francois Letexiere (France)
Stadio: RheinEnergieStadion (Colonia)
