Georgia may not have qualified for a major tournament in their 21 years since joining UEFA and FIFA after the collapse of the Soviet Union, but the Caucasus nation has produced the likes of ex-Milan defender Kahka Kaladze, Manchester City icon Georgi Kinkladze and former Blackburn, Rangers and Newcastle centre-back Zurab Khizanishvili.
The clash at the Aviva Stadium will be our fifth game against today’s opponents. The form is on Ireland’s side having won all four previous encounters with the last meetings occurring during the 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign.
Indeed Giovanni Trapattoni’s first competitive game as Ireland boss took place against Georgia on German soil in September 2008 because Russia invaded its neighbour.
Ireland won that game 2 – 1 before completing the job by the same scoreline at Croke Park six months later.
The current manager is former Newcastle United fans favourite Temuri Ketsbaia who played in the 1998 and 1999 FA Cup finals.
He has his team playing a modern 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-1-1, with an emphasis on energetic young players.
Starlets like Spartak Moscow playmaker Jano Ananidze (read about him in detail here), goalkeeper Georgi Loria, former Schalke midfielder Levan Kenia and Italy-based striker Levan Mchedlidze have been given prominent roles in the starting XI.
The team’s form has been reasonable in World Cup qualifying. Grouped with Spain and France, it was always going to be near impossible to qualify.
But they did are third in the group, albeit six points behind second-placed France. In September, they managed to hold Spain scoreless until the 86th minute when Roberto Soldado broke their hearts.
However away form has been an Achilles heel. They have not won a competitive match away from home since 2006 and although they beat tiny Luxembourg in an away friendly Ketsbaia will be concerned by the away day blues ahead of a match with superior opposition to Luxembourg.
