The last three nations to join Euro 2024 are known: Georgia won on Tuesday against Greece, Ukraine beat Iceland, while Poland became the last team to qualify for the championship of Europe by triumphing over Wales.
Published on: 03/26/2024 – 9:33 p.m.
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Ukraine, Georgia and Poland: the last three qualifiers for Euro 2024 this summer in Germany (June 14-July 14) won their tickets on Tuesday March 26 in the evening, at the end of a sometimes unbreathable evening of play-offs.
Georgia and Poland – who will play in France’s group – had to go to penalties to defeat Greece and Wales. Ukraine, in the context of a war which has lasted for two years, dominated Iceland (2-1), in the Polish stadium in Wroclaw, entirely committed to its cause.
A first for Georgia
In Tbilisi, Georgia wrote a page of its history. Since the independence of this small country from the former USSR in 1990, the selection has never yet qualified for an international tournament, Euro or World Cup.
Coached by Frenchman Willy Sagnol, the Georgians beat Greece on penalties (0-0, 4 tab to 2) in the play-off. The Caucasians will be the little Thumbs of Group F, with Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, Turkey and the Czech Republic.
Greece, unexpected European champion in 2004, once again misses the mark. She has not participated in a Euro since 2012, and was eliminated in the quarter-final by Germany (4-2).
For this barrage at home, the Georgians had clearly chosen their tactic: leave possession to the Hellenes and oppose them with an iron defense, with three central defenders. By counting on counterattacks or set pieces to try not to relive the nightmare of the Euro 2021 play-offs, when North Macedonia came to impose 1-0 in Tbilisi, against all expectations.
The game was locked in a double lock, and we had to wait until the 45th minute to see the first shot on target, a free kick from Giorgi Chakvetadze just under the bar, well slammed by the Greek goalkeeper of Nottingham Forest, Odysseas Vlachodimos.
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The first huge thrill in the Tbilisi stadium happened during extra time, when Greek defender Konstantinos Mavropanos placed an outstretched header on the bar after a corner (102nd).
It was then the Georgians who thrilled their supporters, with Davidashvili (104th) then Kiteishvili (110th), who both came up against the Greek goalkeeper. But it was written that the Georgians would qualify after the anguish, and that their goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who plays in Spain in Valencia, would be the hero of a historic evening, by stopping the first Greek shot on goal.
Ukraine overthrow Iceland, Poland triumph over Wales
For Ukraine, the issue went beyond the simple sporting framework, as always since the attack launched by Russia in February 2022.
Initially paralyzed, the Ukrainians logically conceded a goal in the first period from Gabriel Gudmundsson (30th). But after the break they showed a completely different face, and were rewarded by the equalizer from Viktor Tsyhankov (54th), before Chelsea striker Mykhailo Mudryk offered an immense breath of happiness to an entire people by scoring at the very end of the match, in the 84th minute.
Ukraine will play with Belgium, Slovakia and Romania in Group E, one of the most open in this Euro.
On penalties like Georgia, Poland snatched their place to join the very tough Group D, where they will face France, the Netherlands and Austria.
The Poles, physically fresher, had believed they could make the difference in extra time, but they came up against the wall erected by the valiant Welsh until the end.
With AFP
