COLONY-. Spain recovered after conceding an own goal near the start to beat 4-1 Georgia and get their place in the quarter-finals of the Eurocup and thus one of the most inspiring stories came to an end.
Goals from midfielders Rodri and Fabián Ruiz helped Spain come back after Robin Le Normand’s own goal in the 18th minute gave Georgia a surprise lead. This was the first time Spain had conceded in the tournament.
Nico Williams put the game out of reach for Georgia by scoring on a counterattack in the 75th minute and Dani Olmo added a fourth in steady rain eight minutes later.
Spain will face host Germany in the quarterfinals on Friday in Stuttgart.
The defeat ends Georgia’s first ever major tournament campaign, which included a surprise 2-0 win over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.
Despite the lopsided score, Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili had another outstanding performance and avoided a major rout.
Spain had beaten Georgia 7-1 in last year’s tie, but this game remained closer until the final 20 minutes and was a testament to Georgia’s quick movement under Willy Sagnol.
Before this Euro 2024 clash, Spain had not conceded in three games in the tournament.
But that quickly changed when Otar Kakabadze emerged from the right flank for Georgia and fired low across the field. Le Normand chested the ball past his own goalkeeper after he was apparently distracted by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia who ran to receive the pass.
It took Spain time to recover, but Rodri — back from a one-game suspension — equalized in the 39th minute with a low shot from outside the area.
Georgia continued to threaten, including an audacious shot from midfield by Kvaratskhelia, but Ruiz made it 2-1 in the 51st minute when he rose unmarked to receive Lamine Yamal’s pass.
Needing a goal, Georgia opened up its compact defensive formation and conceded twice more. First Williams scored in the 75th minute and Olmo eight minutes later.
After the final whistle, the Georgia players gathered in front of their fans to applaud and sing, remembering another surprise team from past Euro Cups—Iceland—that beat England in 2016.
Source: AP
