Georgia advanced to the last 16 of Euro 2024 with a historic 2-0 victory over Portugal, marking a momentous achievement in their first major international tournament.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia stunned Portugal by scoring within the first minute in Gelsenkirchen. Georges Mikautadze sealed the win with a 57th-minute penalty, delivering Georgia’s most significant football triumph.

Under coach Willy Sagnol, Georgia qualified from Group F as one of the four best third-placed teams, setting up a challenging encounter with Spain on Sunday.

Portugal had already secured their spot as group winners, prompting coach Roberto Martinez to make eight changes to his lineup. Despite this, Portugal dominated much of the game and came close to equalising several times.

Antonio Silva’s error led to Kvaratskhelia’s early goal, and later, Silva was controversially penalised, allowing Mikautadze to score from the spot.

Throughout the match, Portugal exerted constant pressure, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Joao Felix creating several chances.

However, Georgia’s defense, led by goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, held firm. Georgia’s clinical finishing and defensive resilience secured a landmark win, celebrated passionately by their fans.

#MaltaDaily