Spain vs. Georgia Recap (4-1): Spain Secures Quarterfinal Spot in Euro 2024

Spain defeated Georgia 4-1 at the Cologne Stadium, making a spectacular comeback after being down 1-0. Despite having less than 15% possession and no shots on target, Georgia opened the scoring in the 18th minute through an own goal by Le Normand, following a cross from Kakabadze. However, Spain equalized 21 minutes later through Rodri. After the break, De la Fuente’s team secured their spot in the quarterfinals, with Ruiz scoring a header to put Spain ahead. Williams and Olmo added two more goals in the final quarter-hour.

Starting Lineups

Spain made 10 changes from the team that defeated Albania 1-0 in their last group match, returning to their strongest lineup after De la Fuente rested his regular starters. Aymeric Laporte was the only player from the starting 11 of the previous match, with the rest of the regular starters returning to their usual positions.

Georgia started with the same team that beat Portugal 2-0 four days earlier. Giorgi Mamardashvili started in goal, behind a defensive line of three consisting of Lasha Dvali, Guram Kashia, and Giorgi Gvelesiani (although the diagram below shows Georgia in a 5-3-2 formation, they played closer to a 3-5-2 system). Luka Lochoshvili and Otar Kakabadze played as wing-backs, with Giorgi Kochorashvili, Otar Kiteishvili, and Giorgi Chakvetadze in midfield. The attack was led by the duo of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Georges Mikautadze.

First Half: Le Normand’s Own Goal and Rodri’s Equalizer

The first half began unexpectedly, with Georgia capitalising on a defensive error by Spain in the 18th minute. A cross from Otar Kakabadze was deflected into the Spanish net by Robin Le Normand, continuing the tournament’s trend of own goals. Despite this, Spain dominated possession, with an impressive 85% on the ball. De la Fuente’s team adopted a style of short, quick passes, attempting to break down Georgia’s compact defense.

Despite constant pressure and numerous chances, including a shot from Nico Williams that was difficultly saved by Giorgi Mamardashvili, the Georgians managed to defend effectively. Mamardashvili was the standout player for Georgia, making a total of 9 saves. This performance was expected, given his form in the group stages, and Spain is a team that constantly looks to attack.

Rodri was crucial for Spain, not only with his goal in the 39th minute but also with his ability to organise play in midfield. Nico Williams was a constant threat on the flanks, creating dangerous opportunities with his speed and dribbling. This was reflected in the statistics, as Spain had 9 corners in the first half, largely due to Williams and Yamal’s runs down the wings, followed by crosses that were deflected out of play.

Spain Secures Victory with Three Second-Half Goals

Spain continued to control the game in the second half, maintaining their tempo. In the 51st minute, Fabian Ruiz scored from a perfect cross by Lamine Yamal to give Spain a 2-1 lead. Not content with just maintaining the lead, Spain kept attacking.

Georgia had few opportunities to respond, as Spain dominated possession. In the 75th minute, Nico Williams scored Spain’s third goal after an excellent solo run and a quick counterattack initiated by Fabian Ruiz. Williams dribbled past a Georgian defender and finished with a powerful shot into the net that Mamardashvili couldn’t stop.

Even after this goal, Spain did not settle and in the 83rd minute, Dani Olmo scored the team’s fourth goal, capitalizing on a pass from Mikel Oyarzabal. In the final minutes, Georgia tried to reduce the deficit but was unsuccessful. Spain managed the end of the match well, maintaining control of the ball and avoiding any unpleasant surprises.

The final score of 4-1 reflects Spain’s clear superiority, which was expected given Georgia’s 9.5% chance of advancing past the round of 16. Nevertheless, Georgia put in a good performance, marking their first appearance at the Euros.

Key Players and Performances

Rodri was one of the most important players on the field. Besides his equalizing goal in the 39th minute, he organized his team’s play well and brought calm during chaotic moments. He completed 110 out of 119 passes with a 92.4% accuracy and recovered the ball 16 times. Rodri also had 3 shots, 1 on target, and created 6 goal-scoring opportunities. Additionally, he led in distance covered with the ball at his feet, totaling 474 meters.

Fabian Ruiz was another standout player in the match. He scored the goal in the 51st minute and provided the assist for Spain’s third goal (with an xA of just 0.13). He completed 79 out of 90 passes, with a passing accuracy of 87.8%. He also had 7 shots, the most in the match, tied with Lamine Yamal, with 2 of them being on target.

For Georgia, Giorgi Mamardashvili had a notable performance in goal despite conceding four times. He made 9 important saves, keeping the score close for much of the match. He is the goalkeeper with the most saves in this European Championship, with double the number of saves compared to others.

Conclusions

Spain secured a decisive 4-1 victory against Georgia, advancing to the quarterfinals of Euro 2024. After Georgia opened the scoring with an own goal by Le Normand, Spain dominated the remainder of the match. Players like Rodri, Fabian Ruiz, and Lamine Yamal delivered standout performances. Ruiz scored a goal and provided an assist, Rodri equalized and organized play effectively, and Yamal created numerous scoring opportunities.

Georgia showed determination and managed to open the scoring but couldn’t keep up with Spain’s pace. Goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili made some good saves, but the Georgian defense couldn’t withstand the Spanish pressure.

Spain will face Germany in the Euro 2024 quarterfinals, promising top-level football. According to OPTA, Spain and England are currently the favorites to reach the final, followed by Germany and France.