Ben Fisher’s match report has landed
If Georgia’s stay in Germany does end against Portugal in Gelsenkirchen on Wednesday, oh what fun they have had. Episode two of Georgia’s first European Championship was much like their first, an almighty ball: loud, fraught, dogged and occasionally ridiculous…
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Hang on, here’s Simon McMahon with one last Mercury Rev reference
“Tears in waves, minds on fire for Lobjaidze tonight, Rob. They finished fourth in Scotland’s qualifying group!”
With that, I’m going to sign off. Don’t forget to join Barry Glendenning for Turkey v Portugal, which kicks off in just under 40 minutes. Night!
Ben Fisher’s match report has landed
If Georgia’s stay in Germany does end against Portugal in Gelsenkirchen on Wednesday, oh what fun they have had. Episode two of Georgia’s first European Championship was much like their first, an almighty ball: loud, fraught, dogged and occasionally ridiculous…
Watch: Lobjanidze misses glorious chance
“Here we go” is a perfect bit of commentary from Robyn Cowen.
Saba Lobjanidze’s miss was the moment of the match, but the story of the game was Giorgi Mamardashvili’s goalkeeping. He made 11 saves, one of them a save-of-the-tournament contender, and radiated calm even when Georgia were under severe pressure.
12 – Czechia recorded 12 shots on target against Georgia; the most by a team who failed to win the match at the UEFA European Championship on record (since 1980). Mamardashvili. #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/sDTZIIPwie
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 22, 2024
Updated at 11.14 EDT
The updated Group F table
Turkey and Portugal meet at 5pm, then the final group games are on Wednesday: Turkey v Czech Republic, Georgia v Portugal.
Updated at 11.08 EDT
“Why is the Guardian Lingring with ‘Czech Republic’?” says Peter Oh. “Hasn’t everyone else moved on to ‘Czechia’? Czechia self before you wreck yourself!”
That’s the best style guide complaint I’ve ever received.
Updated at 11.02 EDT
Let’s start a petition to give Georgia automatic qualification for every tournament. They have added so much to Euro 2024, even though they’ve only taken one point from two games.
Updated at 11.05 EDT
Full time: Georgia 1-1 Czech Republic
How would you feel after a game like that? The Czech Republic could have won it three times over, with Giorgi Mamardashvili making 11 saves. But then, with the last kick of the game, Saba Lobjanidze missed the most glorious chance to give Georgia their first win at a major tournament.
Saba Lobzhanidze should have won it for Georgia. Photograph: Catherine Ivill/AMA/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 11.03 EDT
90+5 min: What a chance for Georgia! Amazing scenes in Hamburg. Georgia break three on one – three on one – after Holes’s long-range shot is blocked. Chakvetadze runs more than half the length of the field and times his pass perfectly to Lobjanidze, who sidefoots over from 10 yards! He had a split-second to think about the immortality that awaited him; it was a split-second too long.
Oh Saba! Photograph: Julian Finney/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 11.18 EDT
90+5 min Kochorashvili, a bit of a Dean Holdsworth lookalike, gets a yellow card for something or other.
90+4 min A tame, ill-conceived shot from Matej Jurasek is easily saved by Mamardashvili.
90+3 min Georgia can’t get out, their legs have gone. But an overhit cross lets them off and then they win a precious throw-in on the halfway line. That’ll eat up 20 seconds.
90 min Five minutes of added time. The Czech Republic’s pressure is relentless.
90 min “I just had a ‘get out of my head!’ moment when I saw the references to Mercury Rev,” says Andy Wood. “I’ve spent the whole game with that song in my head. What a record that is. Think on; in the space of a year Dave Fridmann produced Deserter’s Songs, The Soft Bulletin and Come On Die Young. Quite a roll.”
I didn’t realise he’d produced Come On Die Young. I’m sure he puts as much blood and sweat into what he does as Sigmund Freud did.
89 min: Georgia substitution The goalscorer Georges Mikautadaze is replaced by Giorgi Kvilitaia. That Georgia corner came to nothing: no immortality, nowt.
88 min The substitute Lobjanidze wins a corner for Georgia. Who fancies becoming immortal?
86 min Two corners in quick succession for the Czech Republic, who have threatened all day from set pieces. The second is taken short and given back to Matej Jurasek, whose dangerous cross is headed away really well at the near post.
The Czech Republic then appeal for a penalty when Chytil falls over in the six-yard box. He was looking for it.
85 min The Czech Republic look far more likely. I don’t think Georgia are being negative, they’re just shattered.
84 min “Look, I don’t have time for your games (72 min),” says Mac Millings, “because my mother is going to reject her awful German boyfriend Willy’s marriage proposal, and I can’t wait to see Mamardashvili’s hopes.”
That’s either a touch of warped genius or a new low for a once proud institution.
Updated at 10.47 EDT
83 min Mekvabishvili is booked for a studs-up lunge; no arguments with that one.
83 min: Georgia substitution Giorgi Gvelesiani is booked as he enters the field. Not sure what’s that was about. Saba Lobjanidze also comes on, with Solomon Kvirkvelia and a shattered Kvicha Kvaratahskhelia going off.
81 min: Double substitution for Czech Republic Antonin Barak and Petr Sevcik replace Lukas Provod and David Jurasek.
81 min Soucek is very harshly booked for a collision of legs with Kvaratskhelia.
79 min “Loved the Mercury Rev reference,” says Conrad Leach. “Although I’m more of a Yerself Is Steam man.”
Who’s he play for? Oh, sorry, I thought it was another Millings reference. I’m not cool enough for YIS, I only really discovered them in 1998. But what a time for a discovery!
78 min Lingr runs at a weary defence and cuts across a shot from 20 yards that is smartly saved to his left by Mamardashvili. He’s had a blinder, and his save count is in double figures.
77 min David Jurasek arcs a fine cross to the near post, where the substitute Chytil does well to get in front of Kashia and stoop to flick a header across goal. It bounces a few yards wide.
75 min A bit of a lull, as if both teams are taking a round off to prepare for the final push. A winning goal for either team would be huge. Actually, a winning goal for Georgia would be Brobdingnagian.
74 min Turkey v Portugal follows this match, kick-off 5pm. Barry Glendenning, who has been MBMing even longer than Cristiano Ronaldo has been scoring goals, has all the build up to that one.
72 min “How long had you been waiting to make that Mercury Rev pun (53 min)?” says Mac Millings. “There were other musical plays on words you could have made even earlier, btw. Did you have to let it Lingr?”
You’re the best in the business at this stuff, Millings. So come on, let’s have your Mamardashvili puns.
70 min After a patient move from Georgia, Kvaratskhelia blooters into orbit from distance.
No sign of either team settling for a draw, even though it would just about keep their hopes alive. Whatever happens, we’ll remember Georgia at this tournament.
69 min “Question about the tournament overall so far: do you agree with my country’s national footballing hero, Landon Donovan, that France are the favorite?” wonders Michael Weller. “Or do you agree with me that Germany and Spain look much stronger than the rest of the field so far?”
I kind of agree with both of you, and not only because I’m a coward. I’d make France favourites due to their experience, but Spain and Germany have been the best teams so far. Spain were spectacular against Italy, particularly the twisted blood brothers on the wing.
68 min: Czech Republic substitution Mojmir Chytil is on for Schick.
67 min A blow to the Czech Republic: Patrik Schick, their goalscorer, has done his calf and will need to come off.
66 min Matej Jurasek drives a low shot from 20 yards that is well saved by Mamardashvili, falling to his left.
At the other end, Kvaratskhelia nutmegs Hranac in the area and Holes comes across to make a vital tackle.
64 min Kakbadze takes a risk by putting both hands into Krejci’s back in the area. Krejci accepts the invitation to go down but the referee decides the contact wasn’t strong enough to award a penalty.
63 min A couple of minutes ago, just before that Krejci chance, there was a VAR check for a possible Czech Republic penalty for handball. The only replay we’ve seen wasn’t very clear. There was also a replay that suggested the corner which led to the equaliser may have been wrongly awarded.
62 min: Double substitution for Georgia Zuriko Davitashvili and Giorgi Tsitaishvili are replaced by Luka Lochoshvili and Giorgi Chakvetadze.
61 min: Chance for Krejci! The Czech Republic are so dangerous at set pieces. Another Coufal corner is headed across goal and just wide by Krejci.
It came from a corner on the right, curled at pace by Coufal towards the near post. The substitute Lingr flicked an excellent header across goal that beat Mamardashvili, hit the post and was chested over the line from a couple of yards by Schick.
ShareGOAL! Georgia 1-1 Czech Republic (Schick 59)
Patrik Schick equalises!
Patrik Schick finds the net with his chest! Photograph: Annegret Hilse/ReutersPatrik Schick was in the right place at the right time! Photograph: Fabian Bimmer/ReutersShare
Updated at 10.27 EDT
57 min: Chance for Mekvabishvili! Krejci miskicks eight yards from goal and Georgia break thrillingly, three on two. Kvaratskhelia runs from the edge of his area to within 30 yards of the Czech Republic goal before sliding the ball to his left towards Mekvabishvili. He cuts inside Holes on the edge of the area but shoots wide of the far post. It wasn’t a sitter but it was Georgia’s best chance of the match in open play.
56 min Mikautadze breaks dangerously into the Czech Republic before Krejci makes a terrific tackle from the side.
56 min: Double substitution for Czech Republic Adam Hlozek and Vaclav Cerny, the two wide forwards, are replaced by Matek Jurasek and Ondrej Lingr.
Updated at 10.18 EDT
55 min After a brief flurry at the start of the second half, Georgia are starting to sit deep and play on the break.