By Thomas Durning
Scotland maintain unbeaten start to the campaign.
Scotland’s journey to Euro 2024 has got a little closer after they defeated Georgia in what was a disrupted night at Hampden Park. The game kicked off at 7.45 and the match didn’t finish until 11.15 due to a massive rain delay.
Scotland made one change to the side that defeated Norway on Saturday with Ryan Christie coming out of the team and he was replaced by fellow midfielder Billy Gilmour.
Georgia made four changes to the side that defeated Cyprus on Saturday with Luka Lochoshvili, Giorgi Gocholeishvili, Giorgi, Chakvetadze, Irakli Azarovi coming out of the team, and they were replaced by Solomon Kvirkvelia, Lasha Dvali, Saba Lobzhanidze, and Luka Gagnidze.
The game kicked off and from the first second of the match the conditions on the pitch were very difficult with both sets of players looking uncomfortable in controlling the ball.
In the 5th minute, Georgia had there first chance of the game after Lobzhanidze decided to have a strike from the edge of the box which looked to be going wide however, the ball stuck to the surface for a brief moment before rolling out of play.
However, a minute later Scotland took the lead. After a corner kick by John McGinn is swung in, the Georgia defenders failed to clear the lines and the ball dropped to Callum McGregor in the penalty box and he fired the ball in at the back post.
Moments after Scotland scored, the referee decided that the game had to be suspended due to the waterlogged pitch.
After well over an hour, the game finally resumed, and the game started again from kick off following Callum McGregor’s opener in the 6th minute.
When the game resumed, the pitch looked in much better shape and Scotland also looked the liveliest as they dominated the ball after the restart.
In the 34th minute, Scotland had a chance to double their lead after captain Andy Robertson produced a brilliant cross which went across the face of goal, but no one managed to get onto the end of it.
Scotland were really starting to pile the pressure on Georgia and in the 41st minute, McGinn wasted a brilliant opportunity for himself after Robertson managed to find him unmarked in the penalty box and with the whole goal to aim at, McGinn didn’t get a good connection and the ball went under him and Georgia cleared their lines.
Two minutes later, there was another chance for Scotland after McTominay broke into the box and he tried place the ball into the bottom-right corner, but keeper Mamardashvili managed to get down to it and produce a brilliant save.
This was to be the last action of a very long half and Scotland went into half time in a good position with already a goal scored and also thinking they could have scored more whereas Georgia went into half time without threatening Scotland at all.
The second half got underway, and Scotland wasted no time as they managed to score there second goal of the match in the 47th minute.
After Robertson flew down the left-hand side, he tried to get by Kakabadze who managed to dispossess him however, he only managed to poke the ball away to McTominay who arrived on the ball at the edge of the box and stretched to strike a left footed shot into the bottom corner. Scotland were now in a much more comfortable position.
Scotland were in cruise control after their second goal and should have added a third in the 72nd minute after Gilmour’s cross landed perfectly to Porteous but his header went over the bar.
Despite Scotland’s dominance, Georgia was still in the match and in the 74th minute had there first real opportunity of the game after Kakabadze delivered a low cross which hit off keeper Gunn, but the ball fell to Mikautadze who struck a volley into the side netting despite having the full goal to aim at.
Scotland were handling the last moments of the match well but in the 94th minute, the referee decided to give Georgia a penalty after looking at VAR and spotting the ball catching Hickey’s arm as he jumped for a header.
The resulting penalty was hit by Kvaratskhelia but he blasted his penalty way over the bar and that was to be the last action of the match.
Scotland: Gunn, Hickey, Porteous, Hendry, Tierney (Souttar 79’) Robertson, Gilmour (McLean 86’) McGregor (Jack 79’) McTominay, McGinn (Christie 92’) Dykes (Nisbet 79’)
Subs not used: Cooper, Ferguson, Clark, Kelly, Shankland, Taylor, Armstrong
Georgia: Mamardashvili, Kakabadze, Kvirkvelia, Kashia, Dvali (Gocholeishvili 56’) Lobzhanidze (Davitashvili 64’) Kvekveskiri (Zivzivadze 56’) Gagnidze, Kvaratskhelia, Kiteishvili, Mikautadze
Subs not used: Kvilitaia, Loria, Lochoshvili, Gvelesiani, Chakvetadze, Azarov, Altunashvili, Gugeshashvili, Shengelia
Referee: Istvan Vad
Reporter: Thomas Durning
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