Portugal's quest for Euro 2024 glory suffered a major setback as they succumbed to a shock 2-0 defeat against Georgia, marking the tournament's biggest upset to date. Despite the humbling loss, Portugal managed to secure a spot in the knockout stage but now face a daunting task against Slovenia in the Round of 16.
On the final day of Euro 2024 group play, Portugal's hopes of topping their group were shattered in dramatic fashion by Georgia's improbable triumph. Ranked 74th in FIFA's rankings, Georgia stunned their illustrious opponents, who sit 68 places above them, to register the most significant upset in Euros history.
Euro 2024: Portugal Advances Despite Gruesome Loss to Georgia
Portugal's dominance in ball possession proved futile as Georgia's relentless defense and clinical finishing led to a deserved victory. Georges Mikautadze emerged as the hero, scoring twice for Georgia while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia added another to seal the deal.
This result not only marks a historic moment for Georgia, becoming the first debutant to reach the knockout stage of the Euros since 2016, but it also deals a significant blow to Portugal's ambitions. Star forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who is now 39 years of age, failed to find the back of the net in the group stage for the first time in his illustrious international career.
Euro 2024: Portugal Advances Despite Gruesome Loss to Georgia
The loss to Georgia highlighted Portugal's defensive vulnerabilities and reliance on aging stars. Their starting lineup on Wednesday featured four players under 23, the first time such a young contingent has ever taken the field for Portugal in a Euros match. The age gap between the youngest and oldest starters, João Neves (19) and Ronaldo, was a staggering 19 years and 235 days.
Portugal's inability to maintain possession and create clear-cut scoring chances will be a major concern for coach Fernando Santos as they prepare for their Round of 16 clash with Slovenia. Georgia's triumph serves as a reminder of the unpredictability of the Euros and the potential for underdogs to make their mark on the grandest stage in European football.
Meanwhile, Georgia's fairytale run continues as they face Spain in the next round. Their stunning victory over Portugal has sent shockwaves through the tournament and will undoubtedly inspire other underdogs to dream big.
In other group matches, Romania secured a historic group win and advanced to the knockout stage for the first time since 2000, while Slovakia also progressed as a third-place team. Belgium finished as the runner-up in Group E and will face France, with Ukraine suffering the ignominy of being the first team in the Euros' history to finish fourth in a group despite accumulating 4 points.
Turkey's victory over Czechia earned them a berth in the knockout stage, while Hakan Çalhanoglu's goal made him Turkey's second-oldest goalscorer at the Euros. However, the match was marred by an all-time record number of cautions, with 18 cards (16 yellows and 2 reds) being dished out.
As the knockout stage draws near, the excitement and drama of the Euros are set to intensify. Portugal's unexpected setback against Georgia has shaken up the tournament and opened the door for other nations to seize their chance at glory.
