Georgia v Republic of Ireland background
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Article summary
Georgia are on the lookout for a first victory against the Republic of Ireland at the sixth attempt as they get their UEFA EURO 2016 Group D campaign under way.
Article top media content
Article body
Georgia will hope to kick off their UEFA EURO 2016 Group D campaign with a break from the norm as they take on the Republic of Ireland for a sixth time, still looking for a first win against their opponents.
Match background
• Georgia's record in five games against Ireland is W0 D0 L5 (W0 D0 L1 at home – W0 D0 L3 in Dublin). Those overall fixtures include a FIFA World Cup qualifier played on neutral territory in Mainz, Germany, due to the political situation in Georgia at the time.
• The sides first met in UEFA EURO 2004 qualifying. On 29 March 2003, in Tbilisi, Brian Kerr's Ireland beat Alexandre Chevadze's Georgia 2-1, Damien Duff (18) and Gary Doherty (85) scoring either side of Levan Kobiashvili's 61st-minute equaliser. By the time of the return leg, on 11 June the same year, Ivan Šušak had replaced Chevadze as Georgia coach but Ireland won again, Doherty (43) and Robbie Keane (59) the scorers in a 2-0 home victory.
• The nations' last competitive meetings were in 2010 World Cup qualifying. In Mainz on 6 September 2008, Kevin Doyle (13) and Glenn Whelan (70) helped earn Giovanni Trapattoni's Ireland a 2-1 win, with Levan Kobiashvili (90+2) scoring a consolation for Héctor Cúper's Georgia. Ireland won the return fixture at Dublin's Croke Park on 11 February 2009 by the same scoreline, despite Sandro Iashvili's first-minute opener; Robbie Keane (73p 78) struck twice to turn the match around.
• The sides' last meeting was a friendly in Dublin on 2 June 2013. Trapattoni's side beat Temur Ketsbaia's Georgia 4-0 with goals from Richard Keogh (42), Simon Cox (48) and Robbie Keane (77 88) following the 20th-minute dismissal of Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Loria. Substitute Keane was making a record-matching 125th appearance for Ireland.
• Ireland have not won in the nations' eight meetings in UEFA age-group competitions, with the record W0 D6 L2.
• In the only UEFA club competition meetings between sides from these nations, FC Dinamo Tbilisi beat Waterford United FC 1-0 away and 4-0 at home in the second round en route to winning the 1980/81 European Cup Winners' Cup.
