Georgia Makes History: Euro 2024 Play-off Win Sends Them to First Major Tournament
Georgia made history by securing their first-ever qualification for a major tournament after defeating Greece in a dramatic penalty shootout in their Euro 2024 play-off.
In front of ecstatic fans in Tbilisi, substitute Nika Kvekveskiri scored the winning penalty, guiding his shot past Greece goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos to seal a 4-2 shootout victory. The joyous scenes on the pitch highlighted the significance of this milestone achievement for Georgia, a country that only began competing independently in football in 1990 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Having endured 15 unsuccessful attempts to qualify for a major tournament, Georgian supporters flooded the field to celebrate with their players, climbing on goalposts and kneeling in jubilation.
Georgia will now join Turkey, Portugal, and the Czech Republic in Group F at the Euro 2024 finals, marking a remarkable accomplishment for the nation’s footballing history.
The play-off match itself was tense and tightly contested, with both teams struggling to create clear scoring opportunities during normal time. The game sparked into life during extra time, with Greece hitting the crossbar before Georgia had a chance to counterattack.
After neither team could find a breakthrough, the match was ultimately decided by penalties. Kvekveskiri’s successful conversion proved decisive, securing Georgia’s historic qualification as Greece’s Giorgos Giakoumakis missed his spot-kick.
The Euro 2024 finals are scheduled to commence on Friday, 14 June at the Allianz Arena in Munich, with the tournament culminating in the final on Sunday, 14 July at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.
