Georgia v Portugal LIVE: Result and reaction as Kvaratskhelia and Mikautadze goals earn shock win | OneFootball

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Ronaldo will start against Georgia, says Portugal head coach Martinez

Georgia produced one of the most surprising results at Euro 2024 when they defeated Portugal 2-0 to qualify for the knockout stages a a major tournament for the very first time.

The eastern European nation registered the mot historic win as goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Georges Mikautadze ensured they finished third in Group F.

That saw them qualify for the last 16 where they will play Spain, while Portugal meet Slovenia and England’s opponents are now confirmed to be Slovakia.

Portugal’s position as Group F winners was secured with wins in their opening two games, so boss Roberto Martinez made eight changes to his starting XI though Cristiano Ronaldo retained his place at the head of the line.

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Georgia’s glorious victory over Portugal reveals Euro 2024 quirk that helped them make history

The sound and the glory, that somehow offers England hope for glory. Georgia have literally roared their way into the last 16, to follow a first ever qualification for a tournament with a first qualification for the knock-out stages, after a momentous 2-0 win over Portugal. The raucous travelling support made it sound like all of the population was here. The return of proper crowds has ensured deafening noise has been an exhilarating theme of Euro 2024, and Georgia took it up a few decibels. This may have been the peak. It was certainly a peak in the country’s history, and that national moment may also have given England a moment that could yet have a significant impact on their tournament. This result ensured Gareth Southgate’s side will meet Slovakia rather than the Netherlands, in what now seems an even more forgiving potential run to the final.

The manager can of course just point to results like that from Portugal, and the very make-up of that last 16, as to why no one should be complacent about playing Slovakia. This tournament has had more surprises than expected, partly because there are few truly elite sides. It has given upwardly mobile teams like Georgia a real opportunity if they are willing to seize it, as they more than did here. In fact, they eagerly grasped it, as could be witnessed with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s exhilarating goal after just a minute.

Georgia enjoyed a moment they will remember forever as Antonio Silva endured two he’ll want to immediately forget. This was where another theme of the tournament influenced the game. The 24-team nature means that qualifications are secured early, meaning this was another match where a more successful national team could put out their second side. That has been a factor distorting all this.

Georgia’s glorious victory reveals Euro 2024 quirk that helped them make history

Georgia 2-0 Portugal: Willy Sagnol’s team inflicted a surprise defeat on the Portuguese as Georgia qualified for the last 16 for the very first time.

Chris Wilson26 June 2024 22:15

Think England are bad? Potential last-16 opponents Netherlands in crisis after ‘appalling’ defeat

Ronald Koeman has won a European Championship in Germany after a group-stage defeat. Admittedly, it was 36 years ago, as a player and not a manager and to a country – the Soviet Union – that no longer exists as the same entity. But if the precedents from the past offer encouragement, the present bodes less well. Koeman had said the day before facing Austria that he did not want to finish third in Group D. The Netherlands lost and duly did.

“We knew that if we are third in the group then we will get a big nation in the next round, if it is England, if it is Spain,” sighed Koeman. The probability is that it is England and if Dutch pessimism may be misguided, given the resounding mediocrity of Gareth Southgate’s troops so far, a reaction to the loss to Austria was to suggest Koeman’s latest venture across the border might not end in continental glory, but with a different type of finality. “If we fail, please ask me again,” said Koeman, when quizzed if his future contained the sack. If he, like his team, is into a form of sudden death, a battering in Berlin came with a warning for their prospects; and, by extension, his.

“We will have to play better than today,” he said. “Today, it was appalling.”

Think England are bad? Potential last-16 opponents Netherlands are in crisis

The Dutch were beaten by a brilliant Austria team on Tuesday night and now face the prospect of meeting England in the knockout stages – where Ronald Koeman’s job could be on the line

Chris Wilson27 June 2024 06:00