Georgia created history by reaching their first major tournament with a penalty shootout win over Greece in their Euro 2024 play-off yesterday.
Home substitute Nika Kvekveskiri scored the winning penalty, squeezing his effort past the outstretched arm of Greece keeper Odysseas Vlachodimos.
The 4-2 shootout success, which came after a tight and tense goalless draw, sparked joyous scenes in Tbilisi.
Georgian supporters ran on to the pitch to congratulate their players, having seen the national side – which played its first match in 1990 when still part of the Soviet Union – qualify for a major tournament at the 15th attempt.
Fans climbed on the crossbar of one of the goals and kneeled on the pitch in celebration.
Georgia will join Turkey, Portugal and the Czech Republic in Group F at this summer’s finals.
A cagey match, which saw only one shot on target in normal time, eventually burst into life in the extra period.
Greece defender Konstantinos Mavropanos hit the home bar with a powerful header from a corner, but a sloppy pass from the West Ham player seconds later let Georgia in.
Georges Mikautadze raced through before being forced out wide, but his cutback found Zuriko Davitashvili, whose low shot was well saved by visiting keeper Vlachodimos.
Penalties were needed to separate the teams and Lech Poznan midfielder Kvekveskiri, 31, converted the decisive one after Greece’s Giorgos Giakoumakis put his spot-kick wide.
The Euro 2024 finals will begin on Friday, 14 June at the Allianz Arena in Munich.
The tournament concludes on Sunday, 14 July, with the final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.
