Georgians back Lobjanidze despite costly late miss against Czechs

Tournament debutants Georgia are still in with a shout of making the knockout stages of Euro 2024, but that task would have been much easier if substitute Saba Lobjanidze had taken a golden stoppage-time opportunity in their 1-1 draw with the Czech Republic on Friday.

The Georgians, who are the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, gained their first point at the Euros, but it could so easily have been three. Their final attack in second-half stoppage time finished with Lobjanidze blazing over with the goal at his mercy.

“He (Lobjanidze) was the one who wanted to score most of all, but it didn’t work out well,” Georgia goalkeeper and man of the match Giorgi Mamardashvili said.

Georgia’s players and coaching staff ran to console Lobjanidze at the final whistle, and Mamardashvili urged him to go and score in their final group game against Portugal instead.

“From above everything seems easier, but it is very difficult to perform in those situations because you have less time than it seems from the stands, so whatever he did, he did it right, but he didn’t score.

“He’s a great football player and he will definitely score a goal in the next matches … he should be proud because we earned our first point versus the Czech Republic,” he said.

Georgia coach Willy Sagnol also wanted the players to focus on the positives.

“I think the players were a little bit disappointed because of the massive opportunity, but I hope they will quickly get the fact that they got their first ever point in a major tournament,” Sagnol told reporters.

“Against Portugal, we will play with ambition, the ambition of doing something well, the ambition maybe getting a reward at the end, but of course we know it’s going to be difficult,” he said.