The Georgian national team finished its two-week-long preparatory European tour by defeating the reigning European champions Spain 1:0 in Madrid. This was the first occasion in Georgian football history when our national team managed to get the better of a World or European champion side, and one that has held the top spot in FIFA rankings. Spain are currently ranked 6th in the world, and Vicente del Bosque’s side had not lost a single match during the previous 16 months.
The solitary goal of the game that was played at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez in Getafe was scored on 40 minutes by Tornike Okriashvili, from a Jaba Jighauri assist. Afterwards, head coach Vladimir Weiss commented on his first victory since taking charge of the Georgian national side.
Following the recent two defeats, the Georgian team needed this victory. I would like to thank the players for their good tactical play and their commitment. It is certainly not easy to play against World and European champions. We deserved to win due to our tactical play and commitment, and we are absolutely delighted with this historic victory. The Spanish side has unbelievable players, such as Iniesta, but the best team on the day is the one which wins, and today that was us. I cannot remember the last time Spain lost at home, so it is a brilliant achievement for our players, the federation, all the people who work with the national side, and the Georgian football world in general. Today we are celebrating, but life goes on tomorrow. We will take a little break, after which I will be travelling to France to watch the teams that we will be facing during the upcoming World Cup qualifying campaign.”
“Overall, it was a very difficult game. Spain dominated, and we tried to play on the counterattack. I think that we have done well, managed to win, and proved that we can play football. We have had our say,” added Jaba Jighauri.
“We have proven that we can play well against any opposition, even one of Spain’s calibre. This was our last game of the tour, and we are happy that we have won,” said Tornike Okriashvili.
The Georgian national side will play its next game on 5 September in Tbilisi, when Euro 2016 participants Austria will provide the opposition during the opening game of the 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign.
Spain 0 v 1 Georgia
Madrid, Coliseum Alfonso Perez
Spain: De Gea, Pique, Busquets (76’ Pedro), Lucas Vasquez (61’ David Silva), Fabregas (46’ Iniesta), Tiago (46’ Koke), Sergio Ramos (46’ San Jose), Juanfran (46’ Bellerin), Jordi Alba, Aduriz, Nolito.
Georgia: Revishvili (55’ Kvaskhvadze), Lobzhanidze, Kverkvelia, Kashia, Amisulashvili, Aburjania (78’ Tsiskaridze), Kazaishvili (72’ Kvilitaia), Dvalishvili (72’ Chanturia), Okriashvili, Jighauri, Navalovski (84’ Kobakhidze.
Goal: Okriashvili (40’)