The Georgian under-21 national team played a friendly game against their Ukrainian counterparts. The match took place at the Davit Abashidze Stadium in Zestaponi, and finished in a 3:3 draw.
The Georgians fell behind on two occasions, but managed to turn the game around and came close to winning, conceding a last-gasp equalizer. Goals for Georgia were scored by Roman Chanturia, Otar Kiteishvili and Levan Shengelia, with Giorgi Kharaishvili also missing a penalty kick. The Georgian-born Beka Vachiberidze snatched the late draw for Ukraine.
“We committed many mistakes, but there were also positives in our game. I wanted to see all the players in action, since younger footballers will have to get involved in the next qualifying campaign, and today we saw who we can rely on in the future. Despite everything, I see this game positively. There were mistakes, but this was not unexpected, and we know what we will have to work on,” stated the Georgian head coach Gia Geguchadze after the game.
Georgia (U-21) 3 v 3 Ukraine (U-21)
Zestaponi, Davit Abashidze Stadium
Georgia: Kupatadze, Gegechkori (85’ Kirkitadze), Margvelashvili (85’ Japiashvili), Tabidze, Gorozia (85’ Poniava), chanturia (46’ Zivzivadze), Arabuli (46’ Shengelia), Kiteishvili (72’ Kochladze), Kharaishvili (72’ Markozashvili), Tevzadze (74’ Tsnobiladze), Gvilia (46’ Zarandia)
Ukraine: Bezruky, Lukianchuk, Ochihava, Kacharaba, Vachiberidze, Yurchenko (46’ Zubkov), Kabaev (65’ Danchenko), Yaremchuk (72’ Besedin), Miroshnichenko, Mikhailichenko (72’ Tretiakov), Sobol
Match officials: Lasha Silagava (GEO); Levan Varamishvili (GEO), Levan Todria (GEO); Davit Kharitonashvili (GEO)
Goals: Chanturia (22’), Kiteishvili (35’), Shengelia (65’); Sobol (19’). Yaremchuk (27’), Vachiberidze (90’)