On the back of a shock win over the 2021 runners-up to kick off the Under-21 Euro 2023 Championships, host nation Georgia Under-21s seek to make it two wins from two in Group A against Belgium Under-21s at the Boris Paichadze Stadium on Saturday.
Ramaz Svanadze's men incredibly put Portugal to the sword 2-0 last time out, while the Belgian crop shook hands on a point with the Netherlands in a goalless stalemate.
Match preview
Nine months on from being taught a footballing lesson in a 4-1 friendly defeat to Portugal, Georgia faced a continental baptism of fire against the 2021 silver medallists on Wednesday, but the Tbilisi natives avenged that previous beating in front of their own fans with a smash-and-grab success.
Despite only boasting 31% possession on the day and firing four shots on goal compared to Portugal's 17, Giorgi Gagua's opener and Saba Sazonov's header remarkably killed the game off before half time, and Portugal's wafer-thin hopes of a fightback were dashed when Tomas Araujo was given his marching orders 14 minutes from the end.
A few Georgia fans and indeed players may wake up pinching themselves, but the table does not lie; Svanadze's men are sitting top of a section comprising the Netherlands, Belgium and Portugal, and another win on Saturday would send the Crusaders through to the knockout stages at the first time of asking.
Georgia had previously fallen short in 14 successive qualification periods before earning a golden ticket to the finals as co-hosts with Romania this year, but the Crusaders are potentially just 90 minutes away from eliminating two of the big boys, and a three-game run without conceding makes for pleasant reading before the visit of a Belgium side who are yet to find their best shooting boots.
In what was the true definition of a game of two halves, Belgium were under the cosh against the Netherlands before taking the game to Jong Oranje following a mid-game breather, but both defences and goalkeepers ultimately won out.
No fewer than 32 shots flew towards both number ones - 18 for Belgium and 14 for the Netherlands - but Dutch goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen stood tall with six saves to keep Jacky Mathijssen's side at bay and subject them to a fifth stalemate from their last eight games.
By virtue of the three bookings they picked up compared to the Netherlands' two yellow cards on the night, Belgium currently sit outside the quarter-final qualification spots in third place, but the Young Devils can leapfrog Jong Oranje into the top two should they better their adversaries' result against Portugal.
However, Belgium are not exactly brimming with continental know-how, as they had only ever qualified for the Under-21 Euros four times before the 2023 edition - getting to the semi-finals in 2007 in between group-stage eliminations in 2002 and 2019 - and a similar fate could befall them should they fail to spoil the Georgian party in their first-ever clash with the Crusaders at this level.
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Team News
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Georgia would surely see little reason to alter their winning formula from Wednesday night, but captain Anzor Mekvabishvili came off with an apparent injury concern in the final 20 minutes of that game and may need assessing in the coming hours.
Dynamo Moscow midfielder Luka Gagnidze will be waiting in the wings if the skipper does not make the cut, and Svanadze is facing difficult decisions over a few senior players who were spared for the opener, having turned out for the elders in Euro 2024 qualifying.
One of those selection dilemmas is in goal, as Valencia's much-coveted number one Giorgi Mamardashvili seeks a place in the first XI, while Zuriko Davitashvili could offer a pair of fresh legs up front.
As for Belgium, senior trio Ameen Al-Dakhil, Olivier Deman and Aster Vranckx were all unused substitutes during the draw with the Netherlands following Euro 2024 duty, but Lens hotshot Lois Openda was given the green light to start and will no doubt hold his place here.
Mathijssen did not witness any players come off with injuries on the opening day, but given his side's marked improvement in the second half, an alteration or two may be pondered.
Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Hugo Siquet were both introduced for the second 45 against the Dutch and may feel optimistic about their chances of breaking into the XI, while Charles De Ketelaere will don the armband from the number 10 position.
Georgia Under-21s possible starting lineup:
Mamardashvili; Khvadagiani, Gelashvili, Kalandadze, Sazonov, Tsitaishvili; Mekvabishvili, N. Gagnidze; Moistsrapishvili; Davitashvili, Gagua
Belgium Under-21s possible starting lineup:
Vandevoordt; Siquet, Debast, De Winter, De Cuyper; Vranckx, Keita, Matazo; De Ketelaere; Openda, Balikwisha
We say: Georgia Under-21s 1-1 Belgium Under-21s
With Georgia aiming for a fourth successive clean sheet and Belgium only conceding in one of their last four games in all competitions, the footballing gods could bless us with a low-scoring affair on the Tbilisi turf.
The hosts ruthlessly capitalised on Portugal's defensive lapses in midweek, but Belgium could have easily made the net ripple against the Netherlands had it not been for a Verbruggen blinder, and another closely-contested affair could end with a share of the spoils.
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Top tip
Ben Knapton
Spain U21s
