“I cannot give birth to new Messi” – Temur Ketsbaia stated before. Irish football players played like real “Messi” in comparison with the Georgian national team.
Many were proud that in spite of bad play quality, the Georgian national team did not lose with big score but this time it happened. Robbie Keane scored 2 goals against us and who knows if he had played from the beginning, perhaps, he would have scored even more.
The Georgians kicked the ball toward the net only once.
Giovanni Trapattoni had experimental lineup on “Aviva”. The Georgians even did not make any combination and we even forgot the word “offence”. The team of Ketsbaia made a lot of mistakes in this match. They could not even make good assists.
Jano Ananidze left the field very furious. It was the reason of Ucha Lobzhanidze’s mistake. He assisted Loria but Shane Long received the ball. The Georgian goalkeeper stopped him new the penalty area. He received red card and Ketsbaia substituted Ananidze. Omar Migineishvili replaced Loria.
Migineishvili had a very unlucky debut. He parried the free kick of McClean. In the second half Migineishvili did not let Long score goal. So, two “saves” are really good when the team cannot play at all.
The signal was before the sent off when Khizanishvili was confused and assisted Long. The Irish kicked the ball but Giorgi played well. It was obvious that Ireland had better team than us. Playing with 10 players is not capitulation – Georgian U-19 team and its head coach proved that several days ago.
10-15 minutes after the sent off, Georgia seemed to calm down but at the end of the half, the guests got in tough situation. At the 42nd minute Richard Keogh took the free kick and scored it – 1:0.
As for the goals: McClean shot the ball from the wing and Cox scored in empty net. Kvirkvelia tried to parry the ball in vain – 2:0.
Irakli Dzaria could not parry the ball on the left wing. Sammon assisted Keane who scored in the empty net – 3:0.
Khizanishvili was assisting Kankava but Hendrick stole it, then assisted Keane and the score became – 4:0.
There were some episodes when Kobakhidze and Targamadze received the ball and could not find a continuation. They were alone. It was the first match when the team could not make a combination. How the team can do it when only one or two players are in offence. Nika Gelashvili was alone in offence. Nothing is his fault – the match was underway on his opposite side for 90 minutes.
2.06. 2013. Dublin. “Aviva”.
Ireland– Georgia 4:0 (1:0)
Ireland: Westwood, McShane, Delaney, R.Keogh, Wilson (Dunne, 65), Hoolahan (Queen, 76), McCarthy (Sammon, 71), McClean (Mcgead, 65), Cox, Long (Hendrick, 71), A.Keogh (Keane, 46).
Coach: Giovanni Trapattoni
Georgia: Loria, Khizanishvili, Kvirkvelia (Popkhadze, 69), Khubutia, Kashia, Lobzhanidze (Targamadze, 46), Kobakhidze (Gorgiashvili, 90), Kankava, Daushvili (
Head coach: Temur Ketsbaia.
Goal: Keogh (42), Cox (48), Keane (77, 88).
Yellow cards: Khubutia (42), Kankava (70).
Sent-off: Loria (20).
Referee: Koltesku (Romania).
Ilia Nanobashvili
