Many expected this match with fear but the Georgian U-21 team did its best. In the last years the Georgians beat Scots in all age teams and the team of Aleksandre Chivadze continued tradition. Now three teams have a chance to take the second place. It is not known if the second place is enough for Georgia to make through to play off because there are 10 groups and only 4 best second-placed teams will go through.
Chivadze replaced Archil Tvildiani by Tedo Grigalashvili, disqualified Nika Kvekveskiri by Saba kvirkvelia, Davit Skhirtladze by Kvilitaia and Jano Ananidze by Jaba Jigauri. Jigauri played in the midfield center. Vako Kazaishvili showed up on the left.
At the beginning of the match the Scots had a good moment: May assisted Armstrong and Giorgi Nadiradze parried his shot. The Georgians gained advantage in 15 minutes. The Scots found it hard to possess the ball. Chivadze told his players to control the ball as long as they could.
Before Kazaishvili scored goal, Chanturia had two good offences. After the assist of Kvilitaia, Jigauri had a chance to score from a short distance but the goalkeeper parried the ball. Kvilitaia missed at the 33rd minute.
Kvilitaia played perfectly. As for the goal, Kazaishvili kicked from a long distance – 1:0.
After the break, the advantage of the Georgians was obvious. Chanturia shot the ball but the Scot goalkeeper parried the ball. At the 55th minute the goalkeeper of the Scot team parried the shot of Chanturia.
The Scots could not make dangerous moments. The Georgians kept advantage and Jigauri, midfielder of “Chikhura” Sachkhere, scored goal – 2:0.
3:0 must have been on scoreboard but the penalty of Giorgi Chanturia was not counted. Reason? Referee thought that the Scot defender ran into penalty area early. Giorgi kicked the ball for the second time and the goalkeeper parried it.
The last 10-12 minutes were tough for the Georgians because Scot forward Lewis Macleod scored goal – 2:1.
The Scots made another dangerous moment but Nadiradze played well.
It was obvious that offence is better than defense.
The team of Chivadze beat its main opponent and continues fighting for the second place. This team plays better than 4 years ago.
Post-match:
Billy Stark (head coach of the Scot U-21 team): “The Georgian team played well. Today’s failure did not decide anything because we will play Georgia home. Three teams will continue fighting for the second place. This group is really tough”.
Aleksandre Chivadze (head coach of the Georgian U-21 team): “It is good the match finished in our favor. It is U-21 team and each player must be ready to play for the national team. The football players must not make childish mistakes. As for today’s match, we could have won with better score but we could not score penalty. I do not like talking about referees but I do not think the Scots would have protested the first scored penalty”.
- After losing to Holland, you stated you would have talked about it after the match against Scotland.
- We made childish mistakes. The first and the second goals proved it. We were scored goal at the end of the first half and at the beginning of the second one. We had goal moments but Kvekveskiri was nervous and we were scored the fourth goal. Holland has a strong team. I repeat we must not have made such mistakes.
- What has changed after the match against Holland? How come you did not make the same mistakes?
- We worked on psychological issue. I talked to each player and analyzed everything.
- How do you estimate the play of Giorgi Kvilitaia?
- Kvilitaia was at the Austrian meeting several months ago and I said he is a good forward. Unfortunately, this boy was without club for a long time. At last he went to “Dila”. He is a quite perspective player.
- Today the Georgian team attacked quite positively. There were not high assists. Will they play the same way in Scotland?
- We must play Great Britain this way. Let us remember the matches of “Dinamo” Tbilisi when I was its captain. We always played Great Britain in this style.
14.10.2013. Tbilisi. “Mikheil Meskhi”. 1500 spectators
Georgia – Scotland 2:1 (1:0)
Georgia: Nadiradze, Tedo Grigalashvili, Kobakhidze, Kvirkvelia, Ubilava, Papava, Parunashvili, Jigauri, Kazaishvili, Chanturia (Skhirtladze 90+1), Kvilitaia (Pantsulaia 77).
Head coach: Aleksandre Chivadze.
Scotland: Archer, Ryan, McGhee, Findlay, Robertson, Fyvie (Robertson 71), McGeouch (Macleod 71), Holt (Paterson 59), McGregor, Armstrong, May.
Head coach: Billy Stark.
Goals: 1:0 Kazaishvili (38), 2:0 Jigauri (69), 2:1 Robertson (80).
At the 77th minute Chanturia could not use penalty (goalkeeper).
Yellow cards: Fyvie (64), Kvilitaia (64), Findlay (77), Grigalashvili (83).
Referee: Tsinkevic (Belarus).
Ilia Nanobashvili
