The Stadion na Sihoti may have had plenty of empty seats, but the atmosphere was electric, fueled by the promising start from the Georgian team.
However, Odisharia’s eagerness backfired just five minutes into the match when he recklessly challenged Portugal’s Flavia Nazinho, resulting in a red card after a VAR review. Despite going down to ten men, Georgia held their ground initially, and Irakli Azarovi showcased his talent with a stunning long-range left-footed shot that forced Portugal’s goalkeeper, Samuel Soares, into a full-length dive to keep it out.
Portugal took some time to find their groove, but once they did, Diogo Nascimento and Paulo Bernardo took control of the game from midfield. Geovany Quenda also displayed exceptional skill in possession, setting the stage for Portugal’s first goal in the 24th minute. It came in rather anticlimactic fashion when Luka Kharatishvili mishandled Rodrigo Pinheiro’s weak shot, allowing it to trickle into the net.
This goal marked the beginning of Portuguese dominance for the remainder of the first half. With 72% of the ball, Portugal clearly dictated the tempo, while a visibly fatigued Georgia felt fortunate to head into halftime trailing only 1-0.
Frustration mounted for Georgia after the break as the same pattern persisted. A series of unnecessary fouls revealed their inability to channel aggression effectively. With an hour gone, Portugal had completed an impressive 500 passes compared to Georgia’s 182, underscoring the uphill battle the ten-man team faced if they wanted to keep qualification hopes alive. That hope dimmed further when Quenda, once again, showcased his brilliance by slicing through a disorganized defense and firing home a second goal to make it 2-0.
