Spain 4 Georgia 1: Spaniards recover from early shock with ruthless second half to KO minnows’ Euro 2024 dreams
FOUR of out four from the men in red.
And still, without a doubt, the team to beat.
But while Spain finally broke the spirit of the gallant, unyielding, incredible Georgians, Germany, France and – maybe – even England might not be totally fearful of Luis de la Fuente’s side.
Rocked by an own goal from defender Robin Le Normand, the tournament favourites briefly stared into the same abyss that had so nearly ensnared the Three Lions.
But a sweet strike by Manchester City ice-man Rodri restored calm before the interval.
And as Georgia’s brave hearts and legs finally gave way, Spain finally turned on the afterburners.
Fabian Ruiz headed in from Lamine Yamal’s back post cross and a raid break ended with Nico Williams advancing from deep to thunder into the roof of the net before Dani Olmo snaked in the fourth.
It provided enough, although this was a million miles away from what had been expected after Spain had put 10 past the Georgians in two qualifying meetings.
De la Fuente’s men might have been the stand-out side of the group phase and had wing wonders Williams and Yamal back in harness.
Yet despite Spain going for the jugular at the outset, they were thwarted by Georgia’s resilience, determination and plain courage.
Keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili – who plays in La Liga for Valencia – started as he meant to go on with a smart low gather as Pedri slid in to meet Dani Carvajal’s low cross after a surging Yamal run.
Mamardashvili rescued his side again – just – as Carvahal’s flick nodded down Williams’ inswinging corner and the underdogs were already in survival mode, making block after desperate block.
Which made their goal, from a lightning counter, even more of a stunner.
Georges Mikautadze, one of the unlikely stars, began by spreading wide right, where wing-back Otar Kakabadze advanced and played into the danger zone.
Le Normand, all too aware of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia breathing down his neck, had to play the ball and only diverted it into his own net.
Disbelief – at both ends.
And out of nowhere, the cakewalk had become a treacherous path.
Georgia’s belief grew as, with Kvaratskhelia a non-stop pest, they wasted some more counter-attacking chances and Spain’s composure was questioned.
Mamardashvili repelled Marc Cucurella’s scudding strike and then went to his left again to foil Williams.
But there was nothing even he could do as Rodri, picked out by Williams, had time and space to smash low and left-footed into the bottom corner five minutes before the break.
Georgia argued that an offside Alvaro Morata was interfering with the keeper but that was rightly rejected by the VAR booth in Leipzig. He did not impact Mamardashvili.
Spain were galvanised but Georgia remained fearlessly committed, in defence and attack and so close to one of THE great goals as they won the ball back.
Kvaratskhelia scampered forward but was still inside his own half when he spotted Unai Simon had gone wandering, his effort beating the retreating keeper but just outside the post.
Within a minute, though, Spain were in front.
Mamardashvili dived to parry Yamal’s free-kick but Spain recycled the ball and when it came back to the teenager’s feet, he picked out Ruiz to force through the keeper from inside the six yard box.
It was, at last, the blow that the Georgians, for all their lung-busting endeavour, could not recover from.
Yamal missed a sitter after a defensive rickitt gifted him the ball but Williams, picked out by Fabian Ruiz, rippled the net before Dani Olmo finished it off.
Amid all their quality, the twin terrors are the sparkling diamonds. Next, the hosts in Stuttgart on Friday.