This game concluded with mutual irritation and a touch of chaos. It is an indicator of Northern Ireland’s progress that scoreless parity led to wincing from players, management and fans alike. Isaac Price’s 84th-minute missed opportunity from the penalty spot added to the sense of annoyance.
Michael O’Neill’s team are atop B2 after a window which, going by the players’s physical condition in the dying stages, has been exhausting. Northern Ireland and their youthful setup are a fascinating international story. They are a team on an upward curve, with standards elevated accordingly. O’Neill bemoaned “immaturity” in the second half, saying: “The disappointing thing is we have eight points instead of 10.”
Georgia were reduced to fury with seconds of the five minutes of stoppage time remaining. The visitors were adamant they should have been awarded a spot-kick of their own as Saba Sazonov toppled under a challenge from Callum Marshall. Ramaz Svanadze, the Georgia coach, diplomatically said he would have to view the incident again.
The difficulty for Northern Ireland related to a rising expectation. The superb performance during Friday’s 3-0 win over Ukraine backed up victory away to Georgia and a draw with Hungary. O’Neill’s men were yet to concede a goal in this section. A team quietly tipped to peak around qualification for Euro 2028 was blossoming earlier than anticipated, and this without the long-term absentee Conor Bradley. Northern Ireland’s oldest starter for Georgia’s visit was the 28-year-old Ciaron Brown.
Georgia are a curious case, outside the top 70 in the world yet containing one of its finest players. Clearly Khvicha Kvaratskhelia cannot carry a nation on his own. Indeed, the superstar’s first act was to pass the ball straight to Ethan Galbraith in the Northern Ireland midfield. During the nondescript early exchanges, Kvaratskhelia also gifted possession to Jamie Donley.
What football existed in the first half came from the hosts. Ruairi McConville came closest to opening the scoring with a header from Justin Devenny’s cross, Giorgi Mamardashvili not at all convincing in denying him. Georgia responded, an excellent save from Pierce Charles necessary to deny Zuriko Davitashvili. The let-off triggered a sweeping Northern Ireland move which culminated in Devenny overhitting a low cross.
Northern Ireland were frustrated by the wasting of umpteen set plays during that first period. That Davitashvili moment aside, Georgia offered nothing in an attacking sense. Northern Ireland should have edged ahead four minutes before the interval, Patrick Kelly instead fluffing his lines having evaded the Georgia defence from Trai Hume’s through ball. Kelly appeared in two minds over whether to shoot or play in a teammate, with the visitors seizing upon his indecision. The half ended with Price curling a free-kick into the wrong side of the side-netting.
Price, born in Yorkshire, exemplifies Northern Ireland’s diligence in sourcing players through bloodline eligibility. The Manchester-born Charles brothers – Shea, the captain, was once again classy in midfield as Pierce kept goal – do likewise. This is, however, no team pulled together from afar; Galbraith was a boy wonder in Belfast before being coaxed to Manchester United as a teenager. His imaginative playmaking will surely one day be worthy of a grander stage than Stoke and the Championship
This big-picture stuff was irrelevant as Georgia stood firm. This was a game of intrigue, where Northern Ireland were superior while lacking a ruthless touch. Georgia’s threat was understated but real.
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Galbraith limped off with 25 minutes to play, in what constituted a blow to O’Neill. The game by now was tense and scrappy. While against better opponents that may have suited Northern Ireland, that was patently not the case this time. Georgia were managing to sap energy from the home support.
With fatigue apparent across the pitch, O’Neill turned to a 36-year-old who plies his club trade at Stevenage to beef up the attack. Josh Magennis edges ever close to 100 caps, this was No 93.
Kvaratskhelia had been strangely subdued for 79 minutes, but striding forward from midfield, the Paris Saint-Germain forward cracked a 20-yard drive just over the bar. What an outstanding goal it would have been.
Magennis was handed a golden chance but Mamardashvili saved. A melee from the subsequent corner led to the crossbar being struck but, more significantly, the video assistant referee’s attention drawn towards a kick in the face of McConville by Budu Zivzivadze. A spot-kick was correctly awarded. Up stepped Price, whose penalty was saved, low to his right, by the Liverpool goalkeeper. Northern Ireland had passed up their moment. Georgia believed they should have been given scope to rub salt into wounds.
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