Georgia became the first country to qualify for the final of the play-offs for a European Championship ticket on Thursday evening. In the first semi-final of Pad C, the team of national coach Willy Sagnol won from Luxembourg, which saw its European Championship dream shattered after a crucial VAR moment.
In the past, Luxembourg was often considered cannon fodder for the major European countries, but it competed seriously during the qualifying series for the 2024 European Championship and finished third in Group J with seventeen points behind Portugal and Slovakia. The play-offs offered a way out, but the curtain fell on Thursday.
Georgia, with Vitesse icon Guram Kashia and Georges Mikautadze, who failed at Ajax, took the lead just before half time when Budu Zivzivadze scored from a corner. Ten minutes after the restart, former Telstar striker Gerson Rodrigues thought he could make it 1-1, but the VAR stopped it.
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In the run-up to Rodrigues’ goal, defender Maxime Chanot had committed a foul on Mikautadze who had broken through. Instead of a goal, Luxembourg, where Mica Pinto (Vitesse) was substituted before half-time and Yvandro Borges Sanches (NEC) came on, had to continue with ten men.
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That crucial VAR moment proved insurmountable for Luxembourg. After the dust clouds cleared, Zivzivadze quickly made it 2-0 from a cross from Leven Shengelia. Georgia no longer gave up that lead, so it will compete against Greece or Kazakhstan on Tuesday for a place in Group F at the European Championship.
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Tags: Luxembourgs European Championship dream shatters crucial VAR moment Mikautadze Voetbal International
