Georgia vs Czech Republic LIVE commentary: Eastern European sides seek first win

Georgia and Czech Republic will be looking to get off the mark at Euro 2024 when they meet in Hamburg this afternoon.

The Georgians have arguably been involved in the game of the tournament so far when they lost 3-1 to Turkey in front of a capacity crowd.

The scoreline doesn’t really reflect the game, as Georgia were brave and determined throughout.

Meanwhile, the Czechs saw their hearts broken in the closing minutes of their game against Portugal.

It looked as if they were going to claim a 1-1 draw until Pedro Neto set up fellow substitute Francisco Conceicao to score a late winner.

Georgia vs Czech Republic: Date and how to follow

This Euro 2024 Group F clash is set to take place on Saturday, June 22.

Kick-off at the Volksparkstadion, Hamburg is scheduled for 2pm UK time.

talkSPORT will have live coverage of the game, with Adrian Durham serving as your presenter.

Commentary will then come from Kevin Hatchard and former England defender Alvin Martin.

To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream.

You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

The tie will also be shown on free-to-air TV on BBC One.

• This is the first ever meeting between Georgia and Czechia in any competition. Czechia have won five of their last six matches when facing a nation for the first time, though the exception was a 2-1 loss to Kosovo in their most recent such game in September 2019.
• Georgia lost their first ever match at the UEFA European Championship against Turkey. Since the group stage was introduced, only two nations have lost their first ever match at the UEFA EURO but still qualified for the knockout stage, with Slovakia and Northern Ireland doing so in 2016.
• Since beating Switzerland in their opening match at EURO 2008, Czechia have lost seven of their last 12 group stage matches at the UEFA EURO (W3 D2). They haven’t lost their opening two matches at a European Championship tournament since 2000 against the Netherlands and France.

Georgia vs Czech Republic: Team news

Georgia XI: Mamardashvili, Kvirkvelia, Kashia, Dvali, Kakabadze, Kochorashvili, Mekvabishvili, Tsitaishvili, Davitashvili, Mikautadze, Kvaratskhelia.

Subs: Loria, Zivzivadze, Chakvetadze, Kvilitaia, Gugeshashvili, Gocholeishvili, Lochoshvili, Gvelesiani, Kvekveskiri, Kiteishvili, Altunashvili, Shengelia, Lobjanidze, Tabidze, Sigua.

Czech Republic XI: Stanek, Holes, Hranac, Krejci, Coufal, Provod, Soucek, David Jurasek, Cerny, Schick, Hlozek.

Subs: Zima, Vitik, Barak, Sevcik, Kuchta, Doudera, Chytil, Kovar, Chory, Lingr, Cerv, Jaros, Vlcek, Sulc, Matej Jurasek.

• Czechia suffered a 2-1 defeat to Portugal on MD1 of this year’s UEFA EURO despite scoring the first goal in the 62nd minute via Lukás Provod. It was the latest into a European Championship match a team had scored first but then gone on to lose.
• Czechia completed just 169 passes against Portugal, the fewest of any side on MD1 of this year’s UEFA European Championship. They also managed just eight touches in the opposition box, the third-lowest on MD1 ahead only of Scotland (2) and Albania (7).
• Georgia had 14 shots in their 3-1 defeat against Türkiye on MD1 of this year’s UEFA EURO. It was the most by a nation in their first ever match at the European Championship since Austria in 2008 vs Croatia (20).

Georgia vs Czech Republic: What has been said?

Sagnol was proud of his team’s display in their opening game, and he hopes they take it forward.

Speaking to the press after the game, he said: “I think that when you lose it’s not very nice, but you know for my team, the most important things were somewhere else, and we gave such a nice image of Georgian football. I think we can be proud.

“Of course, we had a lot of opportunities to score, probably as much as Turkey did, but that’s football. I don’t want to say that we are happy losers today, but I think we can be proud of our performance.

“I can tell you on Saturday I’m convinced that we are going to provide the same kind of performance and I’m very excited already thinking about Saturday.”

• Georgia’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia made the joint most dribbles (10) and contested the most duels (20) of any player on MD1 of this year’s UEFA EURO. He was the first player to make 10+ dribbles on his European Championship debut since Memphis Depay at EURO 2020 for the Netherlands (11).
• Among Georgian players on MD1 against Türkiye, 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), as well assisting Georges Mikautadze’s goal.
• Czechia goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek made seven saves against Portugal, the most of any goalkeeper on MD1 of this year’s UEFA EURO. It was the most by a Czechia goalkeeper in a European Championship match since Petr Cech in 2008, also against Portugal (8).
• Georges Mikautadze scored Georgia’s historic first ever goal a major international tournament on MD1 against Türkiye. The last player to score in his country’s first two matches at the UEFA EURO was Gareth Bale for Wales at EURO 2016.

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