Having both suffered defeat on Matchday 1 in Group F, this pair need a response on Saturday. We look ahead to this Euro 2024 clash with our Georgia vs Czech Republic prediction and preview.
Georgia vs Czech Republic Stats: The Key Insights
- Czech Republic have a 45.3% chance of overcoming Georgia, according to the Opta supercomputer’s pre-match predictions.
- Georgia had 14 shots in their opening defeat to Turkey, the most by any side in their debut European Championship match.
- Czech Republic have lost seven of their last 12 group-stage matches at the Euros (W3 D2).
Czech Republic and Georgia will be playing catch-up in Euro 2024’s Group F when the pair meet in Hamburg, hoping to boost their damaged progression hopes on Saturday.
Ivan Hašek’s side seemed set for a surprise victory over Portugal on Tuesday when Lukás Provod hammered home an eye-catching opener, only for Robin Hranác to turn into his own net seven minutes later.
Diogo Jota had a late header ruled out as Czech Republic appeared to have escaped with a point, yet Francisco Conceição delivered a stoppage-time winner to snatch a 2-1 victory just 111 seconds after his introduction in Leipzig.
Provod’s opening goal came after 62 minutes but Czech Republic collapsed late on as that encounter marked the latest into a European Championship match a team had scored first but then lost.
It extended a woeful Euros run in the group stage, too, as Hasek’s team have now lost seven of their last 12 group-stage matches at the tournament (W3 D2) since beating Switzerland at Euro 2008.
In more positive news for Czech supporters, they haven’t lost their opening two matches at a European Championship since 2000 against the Netherlands and France – but improvements are desperately needed at Volksparkstadion.
Czech Republic completed just 169 passes against Portugal, the fewest of any side on Matchday 1 of this year’s Euros. They also managed just eight touches in the opposition box, the third-lowest on MD1 ahead only of Scotland (2) and Albania (7).
Hasek was somewhat indebted to Jindrich Stanek after his seven saves against Roberto Martínez’s team, the most of any goalkeeper on MD1 of this year’s tournament. It was also the most by a Czech Republic goalkeeper in a European Championship match since Petr Cech in 2008, also against Portugal (8).
Georgia suffered similar late disappointment in the nation’s first appearance at this competition, falling to a 3-1 defeat against Turkey in Dortmund.
Georges Mikautadze levelled after Mert Müldür’s thunderous volley, only for teenage sensation Arda Güler to curl in a remarkable strike before Kerem Aktürkoglu sealed victory in the dying seconds.
The omens are hardly positive for Willy Sagnol’s side either. Since the group stage was introduced, only two nations have lost their first-ever match at the Euros but still qualified for the knockout stage; Slovakia and Northern Ireland managed to do so, both in 2016.
Yet if any side is capable of a comeback, this attacking Georgia lineup will certainly give it a good go on Saturday.
Georgia had 14 shots in the Turkey loss, the most by a nation in their first-ever match at the European Championship since Austria vs Croatia in 2008 (20), as numerous familiar faces impressed at Signal Iduna Park.
Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia completed the joint-most dribbles (10) and contested the most duels (20) of any player on MD1. He was also the first player to make 10+ dribbles on his European Championship debut since Memphis Depay at Euro 2020 for the Netherlands (11).
Further back in midfield, Giorgi Kochorashvili ranked joint first for touches in the opposition box (5), top for completed passes (61), top for possession won (9), top for interceptions (4) and top for fouls won (4) out of any Georgian against Turkey.
Kochorashvili teed up Mikautadze’s goal, too, and Sagnol will be desperate for his key players to step up in the decisive moments here with both sides staring down the barrel of an early exit in Germany.
Georgia vs Czech Republic Head-to-Head
Both sides will head into this one knowing a victory will boost their hopes of progression to the knockout stage, but have nothing to go off in terms of experience against one another.
Saturday will be the first-ever meeting between Georgia and Czech Republic in any competition, though Hasek’s team have fared well in previous maiden encounters.
Czech Republic have won five of their last six matches when facing a nation for the first time.
The exception was a 2-1 loss to Kosovo in their most recent such game in September 2019 as the hosts bounced back from an early Patrik Schick goal to triumph in the Euros qualifying campaign for the 2020 edition.
Georgia vs Czech Republic Prediction
The Opta supercomputer backs a much-needed win for Czech Republic as Hasek’s side triumphed in 45.3% of 10,000 pre-match simulations.
Georgia were triumphant in just their second-ever appearance at the Euros in 29.5% of sims, while the draw was forecast in the remaining 25.2%.
Georgia vs Czech Republic Squads
Georgia
Giorgi Loria, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Luka Gugeshashvili, Giorgi Gocholeishvili, Giorgi Gvelesiani, Guram Kashia, Jimmy Tabidze, Lasha Dvali, Luka Lochoshvili, Otar Kakabadze, Solomon Kverkvelia, Anzor Mekvabishvili, Gabriel Sigua, Giorgi Chakvetadze, Giorgi Kochorashvili, Giorgi Tsitaishvili, Nika Kvekveskiri, Otar Kiteishvili, Saba Lobjanidze, Sandro Altunashvili, Budu Zivzivadze, Georges Mikautadze, Giorgi Kvilitaia, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Levan Shengelia, Zuriko Davitashvili.
Head coach: Willy Sagnol
Czech Republic
Jindrich Stanek, Matej Kovár, Vítezslav Jaros, David Doudera, David Jurásek, David Zima, Ladislav Krejcí, Martin Vitík, Robin Hranác, Tomás Holes, Tomás Vlcek, Vladimír Coufal, Antonín Barák, Lukás Cerv, Lukás Provod, Matej Jurásek, Ondrej Lingr, Pavel Sulc, Tomás Soucek, Václav Cerny, Adam Hlozek, Jan Kuchta, Mojmír Chytil, Patrik Schick, Tomás Chory.
Head coach: Ivan Hašek
Georgia vs Czech Republic Predicted Lineups
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