Spain 4-1 Georgia: Resilient La Roja fight back to reach last 16

Key moments

11′: Mamardashvili denies Carvajal header
18′: Le Normand turns in own goal
22′: Fabián Ruiz shot blocked by Mamardashvili
27′: Pedri lashes over from edge of penalty area
35′: Mamardashvili stops Cucurella low drive
39′: Rodri steers in Spain equaliser
51′: Fabián Ruiz heads Spain in front
75‘: Williams curls in La Roja third
83‘: Olmo strikes fourth

Match in brief: Spain keep it perfect

Kvaratskhelia appreciates Dvali’s delivery for the opening goal

Spain’s early efforts came via the left as they played through the quick-footed Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal – the youngest player to make a EURO knockout round appearance (16 years and 353 days).

Georgia were set up deep and compact. As Spain edged closer and closer, it wasn’t long before Giorgi Mamardashvili was tested by Dani Carvajal’s downward header.

One-way traffic ensued, until against the run of play, Willy Sagnol’s side launched a surging counterattack. And as the red shirts scrambled back, Lasha Dvali’s searching cross from the right wing seemed destined to find the arriving Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, but Robin Le Normand made contact first to turn into his own net on 18 minutes – the first goal La Roja had conceded at EURO 2024.

Rodri celebrates his equaliser

Spain were shaken. Speculative efforts from distances came quick as they attempted to recover, but pressing high, was leaving them exposed to a rapid Georgia side growing in confidence.

In the 39th minute, Spain finally made a breakthrough. Rodri capped a well-worked combination to find the bottom corner with a low left-footed drive from the edge of the penalty area.

Fabián Ruiz scored his second goal of EURO 2024

Luis De La Fuente’s side pushed the Crusaders back in the second half, winning a free-kick just outside the box. Mamardashvili blocked Yamal’s initial effort, but Spain recycled possession, and this time Yamal picked out Fabián Ruiz to glance home.

Spain began to slow the tempo as the fearless Georgia continued to breakaway and space started to appear. Williams cut in from the left to coolly curl in La Roja’s third goal, before Dani Olmo fired an 83rd-minute fourth to a sheen to the scoreline.

Vivo Player of the Match: Rodri (Spain)

Once again he was a key player for Spain. A real leader without the ball; commanding and organising the team. He was very good in possession and even scored a goal.

Graham Hunter, Spain reporter

Some wonderful football here. Kudos to Georgia, they played so intelligently and athletically. But Spain, when pushed, found attitude, solutions but, above all, some moments of proper footballing magic. Some choice for the technical experts picking a best player from Williams, Yamal or Ruiz. Spain march on.

Vakhtang Bzikadze, Georgia reporter

Despite their exit, the Georgia fans can be proud of this team. True, they were not as good as Spain, but for long period they matched their quality. An amazing first EURO for Georgia!

Reaction

Yamal broke appearance record

Key stats

• Spain have won seven of the last eight meetings between the teams. Georgia’s sole victory was a 1-0 friendly win in 2016.
• Excluding penalty shoot-outs, Spain have lost only two of their last 26 EURO matches (W17 D7).
• Excluding penalty shoot-outs, Spain have not lost any of their last ten EURO matches (W6 D4).
• Georgia have only failed to score in one of their last 13 international matches.
• Twenty-five of Spain’s squad of 26 players have made an appearance at EURO 2024 – only goalkeeper Álex Remiro is yet to play.

Line-ups

Spain: Unai Simón; Carvajal (Navas 81), Le Normand, Laporte, Cucurella (Grimaldo 66); Pedri (Olmo 52), Rodri, Fabián Ruiz (Merino 81); Yamal, Morata (Oyarzabal 66), Williams

Georgia: Mamardashvili; Kakabadze, Gvelesiani (Kvekveskiri 78), Kashia, Dvali, Lochoshvili (Tsitaishvili 63); Chakvetadze (Davitashvili 63), Kiteishvili (Altunashvili 41), Kochorashvili; Mikautadze (Zivzivadze 78), Kvaratskhelia