Georgia reached their first major tournament knockout stage following their 2-0 victory over Portugal at Euro 2024.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s low shot past Diogo Costa in the final group stage game stunned Portugal, who had already won the group. The game ended before the two-minute mark.

That goal, which set the tone for most of the remainder of the evening, came as Georgia overturned possession and hit Portugal on the break.

The underdogs didn’t need to be dominant to make their opportunities count; Georges Mikautadze’s penalty kick in the second half gave them even more momentum towards Georgia’s unexpected victory.

Because Georgia was a formidable defence and space-closing team, they were happy to let Portugal have possession while they waited for their moment to threaten on the counter.

Georgia had few opportunities, but Portugal had few meaningful threats either; the underdogs held their shape admirably and made the Group F winners increasingly frustrated.

Georgia concluded their group stage in good form, but Portugal’s midfielders struggled to pass the ball in a way that accomplished anything more than increase their possession numbers. Cristiano Ronaldo lacked the service to make the difference in the final third.

Georgia achieved the greatest upset in the history of the Euros, according to Fifa rankings, by defeating Portugal, and they made their inaugural major tournament an unforgettable evening. In the round of 16, they will now play Spain, while Portugal will play Slovenia.

Photo by EPA/FRIEDEMANN VOGEL