Euro 2024: Georgia x Czech Republic, Match Preview, Odds and Predictions(22/06/2024)

Georgia and the Czech Republic, sitting at the bottom of Group F, will play on Saturday night to make an impression at Euro 2024.

Neither team can afford to lose again after both were defeated in their first game. Hamburg will host the nation's first match in any competition.

Georgia x Czech Republic Team News

The best player for Georgia, Kvaratskhelia, is one of the leading outlets for the national team, even though he plays on the flank for Napoli. Though it wasn't always the case, the changeover occurred more recently. Kvaratskhelia partnered with Mikautadze upfront versus Turkey.

With Giorgi Chakvetadze offering some inventiveness from the midfield three, they head a squad that often sets up in a 3-5-2. With his team having battled valiantly against Turkey and only been defeated by wonder goals and a late goal, it isn't easy to envisage Willy Sagnol making any adjustments.

The Czech Republic's starting lineup against Portugal was unsurprising, and considering the performance, it's difficult to imagine many changes. Patrik Schick and Jan Kuchta will thus lead the line, but Adam Hlozek, an unused replacement against Portugal, hopes to see some action. With Pavel Sulc and Lukas Provod the preferred central midfield pairing, Tomas Soucek will sit in front of the defenders.

Head To Head And Previous Matches

A passionate Georgian team tested Turkey for 90 minutes and a thrilling end in stoppage time as they began their first European Championship campaign in Dortmund.

Georges Mikautadze's historic first goal at a major international competition brought them level after Mert Muldur's outstanding goal placed the Crescent-Stars ahead, throwing the Georgian supporters into raptures.

Willy Sagnol's team had 14 efforts at goal overall, the most by a debutant since Austria in 2008. Still, they were caught out twice more, including a late third for Turkey from goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili wandering upfield in quest of an equalizer.

Only two countries lost their first Euros match and advanced to the knockout round after the group round was formed; Slovakia and Northern Ireland did it in 2016. Georgia will now attempt to recover with a victory that would keep them in the competition.

They will again look on Mikautadze and star man Khvicha Kvaratskhelia for inspiration against the Czechs, defeated in Tuesday's opening, before taking on group favourites Portugal in their last group game.

Though Georgia is an underdog, and some bookies were putting odds of 750-1 on them winning the Henri Delaunay trophy this summer, even one point this weekend would keep hopes of making the knockout stages alive.

The Czech Republic's prospects would also be preserved with a draw, but should they lose and Turkey defeat Portugal a few hours later, they would not be able to qualify for the round of 16.

Ivan Hasek's side let Portugal back into their first Group F match after scoring the opening with a goal by Lukas Provod in the 62nd minute, and a 2-1 loss puts them in clear danger of an early departure.

With time running out, substitute Francisco Conceicao shattered Czech hearts by scoring the Selecao's victory after an awful own goal by Robin Hranac tied the score in Leipzig.

The Czech Republic managed only eight touches in the opposing box and completed fewer passes than any other side in the opening round of Euro 2024 games despite coming close to earning a crucial point.

Since the 2008 finals, the 1996 runners-up, who also advanced to the quarterfinals in two of their previous three Euros, have lost seven times in 12 group games; one more loss on Saturday might send them home.

Playing more modest opponents should cause a shift in focus, and after arriving in Germany on a five-game winning streak, a more upbeat attitude will be anticipated against Georgia.

Our Predictions

Both teams are to score @1.86 on Sky247.ng 

Two sides who gave their opponents many opportunities in their group openers play each other in this match.

No team surpassed Turkey's xG of 2.73 versus Georgia; Portugal's 1.78 was the seventh-highest xG among the 24 teams in play.

Those figures indicate that in Hamburg, where both teams score outstanding play, each team's defence will surrender up chances.

Four of Georgia's previous six games and five of the Czech Republic's last five have had goals from both sides.

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