Georgia 1-1 Republic of Ireland
Ireland and Georgia shared the spoils in a hard fought game in a result which neither team is delighted by, but both deserved.
Betting odds suggest Ireland is still in the box seat for at least a play-off spot, but this result makes the upcoming clash with table leaders Serbia all the more crucial. The visitors had won all eight of the previous football games between these two teams, and online betting fans expected Martin O’Neill’s men to make it nine.
And it was a perfect start for Ireland as they went ahead on just four minutes, thanks largely to a catastrophic error from home keeper, Giorgi Makaridze, who galloped off his line to claim a long free-kick and got nowhere near it! Brighton stopper Shane Duffy rose above the hapless keeper to plant the ball into the net.
That should have been the catalyst for an Irish onslaught but it simply didn’t come for the rest of the first half. Duffy tested the keeper again but it was Georgia who began to dominate, and it was no surprise when they drew level on 34 minutes. In a flowing move Jano Ananidze beat two defenders before feeding Valeri Kazaishvili who calmly slid the ball home.
The Irish were happy to get in for a half time cup of tea still level. And it was more of the same at the start of the second half as Georgia came forward with purpose, Ananidze fizzing a shot just wide of the post. On the evidence of the first hour you’d have thought Georgia was the side at the top of Group D and Ireland out of the running.
But Ireland eventually awoke and Robbie Brady tried his luck before Georgia came back at them in an end to end battle as both teams searched for a winner.
James McLean almost squeezed the ball home on 87 minutes but that would have been hard on Georgia who deserved a point.
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