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… 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. 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. “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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. GOAL! Georgia 1-1 Czech Republic (Schick 59) Patrik Schick equalises! 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. 55 min After a brief flurry at the start of the second half, Georgia are starting to sit deep and play on the break. 53 min Kvaratskhelia glides away from Holes, who brings him down and is rightly booked. Those funny little plans, that never work quite right. 51 min Coufal’s cross is headed up in the air by Schick and claimed confidently by Mamardashvili. If Georgia are to make history, you suspect he’ll have plenty of work to do in the second half. 50 min Cerny, who has been surprisingly poor, pings a crossfield pass straight out of play. 48 min A dangerous low cross from Tsitaishvili (I think) just evades the stretching Kvaratskhelia in the middle. Georgia have made a fast start to the second half, as they did the first. 46 min A nasty collision right at the start of the second half between Mikautadze and Jurasek. Jurasek deliberately blocked Mikautadze, a challenge for which he is rightly booked, and there was a clash of heads in the process. Both players are okay. We’ve all been picking our England XIs since their 1-1 defeat against Denmark. Here’s Karen Carney’s. “I think that’s a ridiculous penalty decision,” says Joe Johnson. “The defender’s arm was away from his body because he and an attacker were grappling – absolutely normal behaviour, and it could have been either of them in that position. When he felt the contact, the defender immediately tried to move his arm out of the way. And in any case, the Georgians got a sitting duck of a chance from that passage of play. Just because you can freeze a frame in an ‘incriminating’ way doesn’t mean that the decision is right.” The law is such an ass. That said, I sympathise with the problem of determining intent, because cheating is more widespread and sophisticated than ever. In this case Hranac was trying to get his arm out of the way. But if you change the law, players will soon learn to simulate lack of intent or at least to create doubt. I guess that’s preferable to the current situation but it’s still not ideal. Half-time entertainment “Don’t despair Czech fans,” says Niall Mullen, “remember this was you a mere 20 years ago.” Your pre-cog VAR would have sorted that game out good and proper. Netherlands 0-0 Czech Republic, now bugger off and watch basketball. “Afternoon Rob,” says Jon Collin. “Re: the little genius arriving in Manchester, I remember City signing striker Mikheil Kavelashvili not long after and there was some fanzine speculation as to whether they had discovered an untapped talent stream in the Caucasus or whether Kinkladze just needed a mate, possibly to go out for dinner with. I remember thinking that he was bound to be amazing, anyway, but three goals in 30-odd games before being shuffled out on loan tells its own story.” He scored in the derby on his debut didn’t he? That’s the only thing I remember about him, although it might be a false memory. Half time: Georgia 1-0 Czech Republic Georgia could be 45 minutes away from an historic victory after a dramatic, VARtastic half in Hamburg. Adam Hlozek had a goal disallowed for handball, then Robin Hranac was penalised for handball on the stroke of half time. Georges Mikautadze put the penalty away, and there was still time for Giorgi Mamardashvili to make a magnificent save from Patrick Schick. That save was Mamardashvili’s eighth of the half, at least two of which were top-class. 45+5 min: Great save by Mamardashvili! This is top-class goalkeeping. Soucek sweeps pass into Schick, who chops past Kashia 15 yards from goal and fires an instant left-foot shot towards the bottom corner. Mamardashvili plunges to his right to push it round the post, a stunning reaction save. GOAL! Georgia 1-0 Czech Republic (Mikautade 45+3 pen) Georges Mikautadze scores his second goal of Euro 2024! It was a decisive penalty, curled high to his right as Stanek dived the other way. PENALTY TO GEORGIA! A very modern handball – Hranac was trying to get his arm out the way – but handball nonetheless. What a chance for Georgia. 45+2 min: The referee is going to the monitor! I think the ball brushed the outstretched arm of Hranac before it reached Kashia. This will be given. 45+1 min: Chance for Georgia! Kvaratskhelia’s free-kick bounces across the area and reaches Kashia, who wriggles away from a defender but then shoots straight at Stanek from eight yards. Hang on, there’s a VAR check for a Georgia penalty. 45 min The Czech Republic should be ahead but it’s Georgia who are ending the half on the front foot. Mikautadze, who protects the ball very well, is fouled on the right wing by Krecji. Kvaratskhelia will take the free-kick… 43 min “I lived in Czech in 1998,” says Ben Dunn. “I saw the Prague derby - a local bribed a security guard to get us in. The stadium was packed and the concrete cracked. I saw Czech vs Estonia, 4-1 if I remember. Nedved was by far the best player on the field, and had a shout for best in the world. I lived in a town called Jirkov.” I’d have to check but I think that game was on 14 October 1998. IIRC the Czech Republic were 4-0 up at half-time after a goal from Nedved, two from Patrik Berger and an own goal from Estonia’s Janek Meet. 40 min Georgia are having a decent spell. Tsitaishvili plays a good pass into the area for Mikautadze, who can’t quite make room for a shot. 39 min Provod is booked for sweeping Mikautadze’s legs from under him. 38 min “Please don’t tell anyone l, because I haven’t patented it yet, but I have invented a pre-cog VAR,” says Niall Mullen. “It can predict a goal-reversing infringement at the start of any move so the ref can stop the game before any of those soul-crushing goal reversals. I’m hoping that second and third generation models will eliminate the need for the game entirely. I can foresee some of the counter-arguments but what we will lose in entertainment we will gain in accuracy and correctness. And who could possibly have a problem with that?” 36 min Kashia is booked for booting the bottom of Soucek’s foot. 35 min Kvarataskhelia’s through pass deflects kindly for Davitashvili near the byline. His low cross is miscued not far wide of the near post by Coufal, which gives Georgia a corner. 34 min Kakabadze’s shot from 20 yards is blocked by Jurasek. 31 min Blimey, the shot count is Georgia 0-13 Czech Republic. It hasn’t felt that one-sided. Georgia have played some decent stuff, though evidently they’ve been all hat and no cattle. 29 min Hlozek shoots straight at Mamardashvili from the edge of the area. The Czech Republic really should be in front. 27 min Kvaratskhelia plays a neat one-two, dances to the edge of the area and is beautifully tackled by Hranac. At the other end Cerny plays two one-twos but then miskicks six yards from goal. The flag had gone up, although it looked very tight so that might go down as a bad miss – in real terms if not in the statistics. 26 min “I’m a bit sad that this is the last 2pm/3pm game of this tournament,” says Ben Chia. “Being in South East Asia these games have a more reasonable 9pm broadcast time, as opposed to the later games which are on at 12 midnight and 3am. Ain’t nobody got time for that.” You sure England can’t tempt you? 25 min That decision also shines a light on Mamardashvili’s first save, which was the best of the match by a distance. NO GOAL! Georgia 0-0 Czech Republic It took a couple of replays to be sure, but in the end it was a clear – if inadvertent – handball. Another long throw from the right caused problems. It bounced off a defender towards Hlozek, whose close-range shot was brilliantly blocked by Mamardashvili. The ball rebounded into the face of Hlozek, then onto his left arm and into the net. This should be disallowed. GOAL! Georgia 0-1 Czech Republic (Hlozek 23) This might be a case for VAR. 22 min The game has slowed down a little after that breakneck start. It feels like the Czech Republic are dominating possession, though Georgia are very dangerous on the break. 20 min Czech Republic work the ball really neatly across the field from left to right, but Jurasek’s cross isn’t the best. 19 min “Your US readers can watch all the Euro games by subscribing to Vix which covers ALL the Euro and Copa America games at a very reasonable price,” writes Martin Widdicks. “The only catch is that it’s in Spanish… although that maybe a benefit given the traditional view of Fox sports’ commentary line-up. As for the game, Georgia are wonderful to watch, I hope the Czechs also go for it today.” They are certainly going for it; they could easily be 2-0 up. 18 min “Hi dear Rob,” writes Stephen Bradfield. “Might be worth reminding the readers that Georgia has produced some great players in the past. Who can forget the great Dinamo Tbilisi side of the early 1980s - Kipiani, Chivadze et al?” They were slightly before my time but sound utterly thrilling. One of these days I’ll watch the full game of their 4-1 win at Upton Park, which somebody has kindly uploaded to YouTube. I think the first time I became aware of Georgia as a football nation was when they thrashed Wales 5-0 in 1994, and then when that little genius arrived in Manchester. 18 min Coufal is harshly booked for fouling Kvaratskhelia. Not even sure it was a foul. Also, where did those last five minutes go? 13 min Provod’s deflected long-range shot is saved comfortably by Mamardashvili. This is already, like Georgia’s first game, a great advert for a 24-team Euros. 11 min Replays show that was a really tough decision for the referee, and indeed VAR. Krejci kind of fell into Davitashvili, but with enough clumsiness that the referee couldn’t be certain it was a foul. My instinct is that it was still a foul, though I can see why it wasn’t given. 10 min: Georgia penalty appeal! The impressive Davitashvili gets the wrong side of Krejci in the area and appears to be pulled down, but the referee waves play on! I’d like to see that again. 10 min Kvaratskhelia gives the world a quick injection of joy with a lovely piece of skill, lobbing the ball over Coufal and surging down the left. 10 min “Once again, I have to write in with the obligatory ‘Fox can just go feck themselves’ email,” writes Joe Pearson, although he didn’t say feck. “Another 9am game ignored. I hate them so much. But love you, man! Keep up the good work!” Any port in a storm. 9 min A defensive header is collected on the edge of the area by Schick, whose shot is blocked desperately and brilliantly by Kvirkvelia. 9 min This will not end 0-0. 8 min Play continues to lurch from end to the other. Cerny enquires about a penalty when his shot hits the arm of a defender, but it was right down by his side. 4 min The lively Davitashvili surges into the area with purpose, forcing Hranac to come across and concede a corner. This is thrilling stuff. 4 min A cross from the left is met by Schick, whose firm header is pushed away by the diving Mamardashvili. Another pretty good save, though you’d expect him to make it. 3 min: Double save from Mamardashvili! The first chances fall to the Czech Republic. A long throw from the right was allowed to bounce and reach Hlozek, whose low shot was kicked away by Mamardashvili. The ball ricocheted around the area, and then Mamardashvili leapt to paw away Schick’s follow-up shot. 2 min Georgia have made a flying start, an increasingly rare sight these days and therefore even more endearing. 1 min Peep peep! Georgia kick off from right to left as we watch. This could be loads of fun. The anthems The Georgia players, some with their eyes closed, are singing their anthem as if it’s the last time they’ll ever have the privilege. As somebody who has never really experienced the joys of patriotism, it’s almost spine-tingling. Here come the players, all wearing rather lovely kits. The Czech Republic’s is here, and this is Georgia’s. Georgia’s two forwards, Georges Mikautadze and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, have both bent hurt in the warm-up. No suggestion yet that they will miss the game, but it’s not exactly ideal preparation. And this is an equally good piece on the Czech Republic goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek, once of Everton and Hyde United. This is a really nice piece from earlier in the year on David Webb, Georgia’s assistant manager. Webb looked to build team spirit by getting players to tell each other personal stories. He talks about playing attacking football, with “calculated risks and passion, desire and intensity”. He talks about bravery and the actor Beth Harmon picturing the chess pieces fall into place in the Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit. The tournament director Philipp Lahm on Germany’s young guns [Florian] Wirtz has an excellent first touch, changes pace skilfully and has great positional awareness on the pitch; just see his goal against Scotland. [Jamal] Musiala is virtually impossible to get off the ball and he can beat an opponent from a standing start. When the opposing teams have parked the bus and lined up their players in front of goal, he is able to find solutions. He was named player of the match in the first game and scored for the second consecutive game against Hungary. This is the last day of the second round of group games, and also the last of the 2pm kick-offs in this tournament. Life moves pretty fast, eh. Pick those out Team news One change for Georgia, with Zuriko Davitashvili replacing Giorgi Chakvetadze. The Czech Republic bring in Adam Hlozek, David Jurasek and Vaclav Cerny for Jan Kuchta, David Doudera and Pavel Sulc. Georgia (3-5-2) Mamardashvili; Kvirkvelia, Kashia, Dvali; Tsiatishvili, Davitashvili, Mekvabishvili, Kochorashvili, Kakabadze; Mikautadze, Kvaratskhelia. Czech Republic (3-4-3) Stanek; Holes, Hranac, Krejci; Coufal, Soucek, Provod, D Jurasek; Cerny, Schick, Hlozek. Referee Daniel Siebert (Germany) Listen to Football Daily! Preamble Well that escalated quickly. Georgia and the Czech Republic have only played one game at Euro 2024, and they played pretty darn well too, but they are already at the precipice of a great crossroads. Defeat for either team today would leave them needing snookers reach the last 16. Georgia were involved the most enjoyable game of the tournament to date, a pulsating 3-1 defeat to Turkey, while the Czech Republic gave Portugal enough of a scare that Cristiano Ronaldo felt compelled to dance on their grave when Francisco Conceicao scored an injury-time winner. Let’s hope for more excitement today. Kick off 2pm BST.