GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany — Followers got here to Gelsenkirchen to see the Portugal No. 7 Cristiano Ronaldo make extra historical past, however left the Enviornment AufSchalke having seen Georgia’s No. 7 Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, spurred on by over 15,000 of his fellow countrymen, lead his nation into the knockout phases of a significant match for the primary time.
This was an evening that can dwell lengthy within the reminiscence of Napoli winger Kvaratskhelia, who scored the primary aim in a 2-0 win, and each different Georgian, whether or not watching on the stadium or on a display again within the capital metropolis, Tbilisi, who witnessed the 74th-ranked workforce in FIFA’s rankings beat the sixth greatest. Nearly 10 minutes after the ultimate whistle, some gamers nonetheless couldn’t consider it. After main the supporters in chanting and clapping, they clutched their heads, struggling to understand a final 16 tie now awaits them towards Spain in Cologne on Sunday.
Their coach, Willy Sagnol, solely let himself consider as soon as the sport had stopped. He joined Bayern Munich as a participant the 12 months after the German aspect misplaced the 1999 Champions League ultimate to Manchester United in stoppage time and that was on his thoughts as time ticked down right here.
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“If you would like me to be sincere, it is when the referee blew the whistle on the finish [that I believed],” he mentioned in a information convention. “Soccer has made plenty of tales like that, if you assume you’re profitable and lose within the final minute — Bayern towards United involves thoughts. I used to be watching the time, each 10 seconds, and in the long run simply felt very empty.
“We have been dreaming of qualifying however didn’t assume it was doable. I assumed we reached our most by qualifying in March, however soccer is rarely written beforehand.”
The narrative had truly been laid down in Georgia’s first sport in Germany. They could have misplaced to Turkey, however the lowest-ranked workforce at Euro 2024 received plenty of hearts with an brisk efficiency in one of the crucial entertaining phases of the group stage. They adopted that up with a draw towards Czechia, setting the stage for Wednesday’s historic night.
In Kvaratskhelia, a Serie A winner with Napoli, they boast the most effective wingers on the continent. When he will get the ball, there’s a buzz among the many supporters that something is feasible. It took him simply 92 seconds to open the scoring, ending properly after being performed in by teammate Georges Mikautadze. It is the earliest aim Portugal have ever conceded at a European Championship.
Ronaldo gave Kvaratskhelia his shirt after his MOTM efficiency vs. Portugal 🤝💯 pic.twitter.com/k4blrPAlF0
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 26, 2024
“Khvicha” chants echoed across the stadium. This was rapidly turning right into a efficiency worthy of the No. 7 shirt for any nation on the match.
A scintillating run within the thirty fifth minute drew a free kick and eased the strain on his backline. The same run within the sixty fifth minute, Georgia 2-0 up by now, had the same impact and introduced extra adulation from the followers. It was in distinction to the fortunes of Portugal’s No. 7, Ronaldo, who was taken off in the identical minute after a quiet evening.
It had been something however a quiet day round Gelsenkirchen, although, because the Ronaldo roadshow rolled into city. Followers stuffed the air along with his customary “Siuuuuuu” shout as they obtained off the practice and drunk in squares, Georgia followers responding with Lionel Messi chants. There have been shirts of all his former golf equipment, Sporting Membership, Manchester United, Actual Madrid and Juventus, and his present groups, Saudi Arabian aspect Al Nassr and the Portuguese nationwide workforce, all along with his identify on the again.
They’d come to see him make extra historical past. Regardless of making eight modifications with progress from the group already sealed, coach Roberto Martínez caught with Ronaldo as his central striker. “He wants the aggressive rhythm, it is no good stopping and beginning,” Martínez defined.
A aim would have made Ronaldo, now 39, the oldest-ever scorer within the Euros. He’s already the highest scorer (14) and the highest help supplier (8) within the historical past of the match, however the subsequent report must wait. He has now failed to attain within the group stage of a significant match for the primary time ever, the top of an unimaginable run that started at Euro 2004.
For as soon as, this was concerning the different No. 7, who mentioned he had grown up idolising Ronaldo and picked up his shirt after the sport.
“I obtained Ronaldo’s jersey and we have made it via to the following spherical,” Kvaratskhelia, named Participant of the Match by UEFA, mentioned in a information convention. “That is the perfect day within the lives of Georgian soccer followers. We have made historical past, nobody would consider we might make it occur. Nobody would consider we may beat Portugal however that is why we’re a powerful workforce; if there’s even a 1% likelihood, we have proven we are able to make it occur.
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“Earlier than the match there had been a gathering [with Ronaldo] and he wished me success; I might by no means think about he would come and speak to me. He is an ideal participant and an ideal particular person. That is why he is an ideal persona out and in of soccer; I’ve a lot respect for him, he is the most effective gamers on the planet. When he comes to speak to you earlier than the match, that is wonderful; that helped us consider we may do one thing right this moment.”
It was not nearly Kvaratskhelia, although. Striker accomplice Mikautadze was electrical, establishing the primary aim and changing the second, a penalty awarded after a VAR verify. The French-born ahead is the highest scorer on the match with three targets — greater than your entire France workforce — and is simply the ninth particular person to attain three or extra within the group stage ever.
Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who did not should be nearly as good as he was towards Czechia when he made a tournament-high 11 saves, was spectacular as soon as once more. He has maybe been the perfect goalkeeper in Germany.
“In case you analyse them, you’d discuss their goalkeeper, who’s had three years on the highest degree and had an exquisite sport, and Kvaratskhelia, who’s one of many prime 5 dribblers in Europe,” Portugal coach Martínez mentioned in a information convention.
“The one shock was that they managed to retain the depth and perception for the 90 minutes, as a result of it was solely within the final 10 minutes we had any clear-cut possibilities. Their coach has accomplished an exquisite job.”
Deflecting the limelight, Kvaratskhelia added: “There was no particular person greatest participant right this moment. It was the workforce, and we proved to everyone that we are able to actually play.”
Because the buoyant followers left the Enviornment AufSchalke, the Napoli shirts among the many red-and-white Georgia tops grew to become extra apparent, the “Khvicha” chants now louder than they’d been at any time within the day. His deflection ways will seemingly be no good for almost 3.8 million Georgians again residence, who will always remember the place they have been when Georgia’s No. 7 was the identify on everybody’s lips.