On Saturday, November 16, the Ukraine national team played its next match within the framework of the Nations League season 2024/25. The opponent of the "blue-yellow" team was the Georgia national team, and the game itself took place in Batumi at the "Batumi Arena" stadium.
Nations League 2024/25. Division "B". Group 1. Round 4
GEORGIA — UKRAINE — 1:1 (0:1)
Goals: Mikautadze (76) — Kvirkvelia (7, own goal)
Warnings: Lochoshvili (31), Gocholeishvili (70) — Shaparenko (62), Mykolenko (82), Mudryk (84)
Ukraine: 12.Trubin — 2.Konoplya, 13.Zabarnyi, 22.Matvienko (C), 16.Mykolenko — 6.Brazhko (21.Kalyuzhnyi, 80), 10.Shaparenko (15.Kryskiy, 64) — 8.Sudakov (14.Nazarenko, 86), 7.Mudryk, 20.Zubkov (19.Hutsulyak, 64) — 11.Dovbik (18.Yarmolyuk, 80).
Substitutes: 1.Bushchan, 23.Riznyk, 3.Sych, 4.Taloverov, 5.Bondar, 17.Zichnenko, 18.Yarmolyuk.
Georgia: 12.Mamardashvili, 2.Kakabadze, 4.Kashiya (C), 5.Kvirkvelia (13.Gocholeishvili, 67), 6.Kochorashvili, 7.Kvaratskhelia, 8.Zivzivadze (22.Mikautadze, 67), 10.Chakvetadze (9.Davitashvili, 46), 14.Lochoshvili, 17.Kiteishvili (20.Mekvabishvili, 86), 19.Shengelaya (21.Tsitaishvili, 67).
Substitutes: 1.Loria, 23.Gugeshashvili, 11.Lobjanidze, 15.Gvelesiani, 16.Kvekveskiri, 18.Kalandadze.
Match statistics >>>
Post-match press conference >>>
The match started well for the Ukraine national team: already in the 7th minute of the match, Mudrik's cross resulted in Kvirkvelia attempting to intercept this pass, cutting the ball into his own net — 0:1.
Overall, the Ukraine national team played defensively, but the Georgians did not capitalize on this. Yes, there was a shot from Kvaratskhelia hitting the crossbar, which Trubin managed to save, but in general, the "blue-yellow" team confidently played defensively and occasionally "bit back" in counterattacks. Thus, in the 37th minute, Mudrik, bursting into the penalty area of the Georgia national team, struck from about 10 meters, but Mamardashvili was able to rescue his team from conceding a second goal.
The second half also went under the dominance of the Georgia national team. And in the 63rd minute of the match, the hosts were as close to success as possible — Kvaratskhelia struck from about 20 meters, and the ball hit the crossbar of the Ukrainian goal. The guests almost immediately responded with a shot from Dovbik from the penalty area, but the ball went well over the bar.
But ultimately, the Georgia national team still got what they were looking for. In the 76th minute of the match, Trubin reacted to a header from Kochorashvili but deflected the ball right to Mikautadze, who effectively played in the follow-up — 1:1.
Having leveled the score, the Georgians predictably rushed into attack with renewed vigor, but achieved nothing special. Meanwhile, the Ukrainians had all chances to snatch victory in injury time of the second half, however, Georgia was saved by Mamardashvili: he made two consecutive saves — first after a shot from Hutsulyak from about 11 meters, and then after a follow-up attempt from Nazarenko. In the end, a draw, 1:1.
In a parallel match of the 3rd round of Division "B", today in Tirana, Albania will play against the Czech Republic. For now, the standings of the teams in this group looked as follows:
1. Georgia — 7 (5 matches)
1. Czech Republic — 7 points (4)
3. Albania — 6 (4)
4. Ukraine — 5 (5).
In the next, final round of this group on November 19, the following matches will be played: Albania — Ukraine, Czech Republic — Georgia.
Alexander POPOV
