Rodri, Fabian Ruiz, Nico Williams and Dani Olmo all scored as Spain came from behind to beat surprise packages Georgia 4-1 at Euro 2024 on Sunday and set up a blockbuster quarter-final against hosts Germany. Robin Le Normand’s own goal gave Georgia a shock lead in the 18th minute of this last-16 tie to send their noisy supporters wild in Cologne. It was the first goal Spain had conceded at the competition but they came back to equalise six minutes before the interval courtesy of Manchester City midfielder Rodri. Ruiz then headed home in the 51st minute and Williams ran through for the third before substitute Olmo made sure of the win as La Roja stay on track to become European champions for the fourth time.

Spain now take on Germany in the last eight in Stuttgart on Friday in a repeat of the Euro 2008 final, which they won 1-0 to begin their golden era of dominance in international football.

Luis de la Fuente’s current team are looking to bring back the glory days and they were expected to brush Georgia aside here.

They would have ultimately won by a far greater margin had they converted more of their chances, with 16-year-old winger Lamine Yamal squandering several opportunities in his attempt to become the youngest ever goal-scorer at the Euros.

Georgia are ranked 74th in the world, 66 places below Spain. Willy Sagnol’s team lost twice to Spain in qualifying, going down 7-1 at home and 3-1 away.

Yet they still qualified for a first major tournament and then made it to the knockout stages with a stunning 2-0 win over Portugal.

Sagnol said on the eve of this match that his unfancied team had “already won the European Championship” thanks to their remarkable run, and they now go home with their heads held high despite eventually crumbling here.

They have a lively attacking partnership between Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Georges Mikautadze that is a danger for any opponent, and Giorgi Mamardashvili has been one of the best goalkeepers at the tournament.

Mamardashvili had already saved from Pedri and kept out Dani Carvajal‘s glancing header before Georgia went ahead.

The move started with a fine piece of play by Kvaratskhelia, who had little room to manoeuvre on the left wing but picked out a pass for Mikautadze, who then released Otar Kakabadze on the right wing.

Kakabadze’s cross into the box was a horrible one for Le Normand, who had Kvaratskhelia arriving behind him and could not stop the ball rebounding off him and into the net for the eighth own goal of Euro 2024.

Spain were now vulnerable to the counterattack, which is Georgia’s strength, but the men in red continued to dominate the game and kept testing Mamardashvili.

The Valencia shot-stopper made several more interventions in an increasingly wild encounter before the equaliser finally came, Rodri controlling a Williams pass at the edge of the box and stroking the ball into the corner.

It felt as if that might be that for Georgia, but they remained audacious on the break, with Kvaratskhelia almost scoring from inside his own half at the beginning of the second period, his shot going just wide with goalkeeper Unai Simon out of position.

Spain went ahead shortly after, as Yamal crossed from the right for Ruiz to head in his second goal of the tournament at the back post.

Yamal didn’t just miss chances of his own, as he also forced an own goal which was disallowed for offside before Georgia fell apart defensively under increasingly heavy rain.

Ruiz released Williams, who ran from inside his own half, skipped past Giorgi Gvelesiani into the box and fired into the roof of the net to make it 3-1 on 75 minutes.

A delightful control and finish from the edge of the box by Olmo completed the scoring with seven minutes left.

Spain vs Georgia, UEFA Euro 2024 Round of 16 LIVE Updates© AFP

Spain vs Georgia, UEFA Euro 2024 Round of 16 Highlights© AFP

Spain vs Georgia Live Streaming Euro 2024 Round of 16 Live Telecast: Spain take on Georgia in Euro 2024 Round of 16. Spain are focussed on defeating debutants Georgia to reach the quarter-finals and so is their 16-year-old starlet Lamine Yamal after receiving some good news to clear his head. Before La Roja tackle their last 16 assignment in Cologne Yamal discovered he had passed his own — the country’s compulsory end of secondary school exams. Still studying when the tournament began in Germany little over a fortnight ago, he shone in Spain’s first two matches and was rested for the majority of the third with the team already through top of Group B.

While thoughts started to drift towards the knock-out rounds, Spain’s right winger was still waiting on his results.

Spain aced their “group of death” examination, overcoming Croatia, Italy and Albania to finish the opening phase with a 100 percent record and three clean sheets.

No other team managed either feat and after Spain came into the tournament without the favourites tag worn by France and England, now many are starting to believe in La Roja.

When will the Spain vs Georgia, Euro 2024 Round of 16 match take place?

The Spain vs Georgia, Euro 2024 Round of 16 match will take place on Monday, July 1 (IST).

Where will the Spain vs Georgia, Euro 2024 Round of 16 match be played?

The Spain vs Georgia, Euro 2024 Round of 16 match will be played at the Cologne Stadium, Germany.

What time will the Spain vs Georgia, Euro 2024 Round of 16 match start?

The Spain vs Georgia, Euro 2024 Round of 16 match will start at 12:30 AM IST.

Which TV channels will telecast the Spain vs Georgia, Euro 2024 Round of 16 match?

The Spain vs Georgia, Euro 2024 Round of 16 match will be telecast on the Sony Sports Network.

Where to follow the live streaming of the Spain vs Georgia, Euro 2024 Round of 16 match?

The Spain vs Georgia, Euro 2024 Round of 16 match will be streamed live on SonyLiv app and website.

(All the details are as per the information provided by the broadcaster)

With AFP Inputs

Portugal were stunned by Georgia in the Euro 2024 on Thursday (IST) with Cristiano Ronado failing to strike again. Appearing at their first European Championship, Georgia had to record their first ever victory at the tournament to reach the last 16 when they played Portugal in Gelsenkirchen. Cristiano Ronaldo‘s Portugal had already qualified for the last 16 as Group F winners, and their coach Roberto Martinez made eight changes to his team. Georgia went ahead inside the opening two minutes thanks to a fine finish from their star player, Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Georges Mikautadze, who set up that goal, made it 2-0 from the penalty spot early in the second half to become the competition’s top scorer on three.

It was a frustrating night for Portugal, who were denied on several occasions by Georgia’s impressive goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.

The 39-year-old Ronaldo, who has a Euros record tally of 14 goals, was left still waiting for his first at this year’s competition.

Georgia, ranked 74th in the world, will now play much-fancied Spain in the next round on Sunday in Cologne, having progressed as one of the four best third-placed sides.

The match also saw an terrifying moment as Ronaldo almost got kicked by a fan who jumped out of the stands as the five-time Ballon d’Or headed down the tunnel. The fan was inched short of landing on Ronaldo but the stewards somehow pushed him away. 

This is crazy.pic.twitter.com/Rc1eLon23D

— The CR7 Timeline. (@TimelineCR7) June 27, 2024

Meanwhile, it is a remarkable achievement for Georgia, the former Soviet Republic which is a candidate for European Union membership but is currently immersed in political turmoil over controversial “foreign influence” legislation. 

Turkey finished second in the same group after a 2-1 win over the Czech Republic in Hamburg, as their opponents were eliminated.

Cenk Tosun‘s goal in stoppage time sealed the victory for Turkey, who had been playing with an extra man since the 20th-minute sending-off of Antonin Barak.

 With AFP inputs

The Napoli star netted with less than two minutes on the clock in Gelsenkirchen.© AFP

Tbilisi, Georgia:

Thousands of Georgians rallied Tuesday outside parliament after ruling party MPs adopted a divisive “foreign influence” law, overcoming a presidential veto on the bill despite Western warnings the move could jeopardise the country’s path to the European Union.

The law, which critics have compared to repressive Russian legislation used to silence dissent, forces groups receiving at least 20 percent of funding from abroad to register as “organisations pursuing the interests of a foreign power.”

The proposal has drawn fierce opposition from Western governments including the United States, which said the measure risked “stifling” freedom of expression in the Black Sea Caucasus nation.

Brussels warned the measure was “incompatible” with the ex-Soviet republic’s longstanding bid for EU membership, which is enshrined in the country’s constitution and supported — according to opinion polls — by more than 80 percent of the population.

Lawmakers voted 84 to 4 to pass the bill on Tuesday, after overriding pro-EU President Salome Zurabishvili’s veto.

Most opposition MPs walked out of the 150-seat chamber ahead of the vote.

The EU said that it deeply regretted the law being adopted, and foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said the bloc was “considering all options to react to these developments”.

‘Angry, frustrated’

Waving Georgian and EU flags, thousands of protesters gathered outside parliament on Tuesday evening with crowds swelling after the chamber voted to adopt the law. 

Georgia’s national anthem and EU’s Ode to Joy were performed at the rally.

Zurabishvili addressed the crowd by video link.

“You are angry today, aren’t you? Get angry, but let’s get to work. The work is that we have to prepare, first of all, for a true referendum,” she said referring to October’s elections.

“Do we want a European future or Russian slavery?  Eighty-four men cannot decide this, we can — we, all together.”

Georgia has been gripped by a wave of unprecedented daily rallies for the past seven weeks since the ruling Georgian Dream party revived the plans, which are similar to measures it dropped last year after a public outcry.

“I feel so angry, I feel so frustrated. The most important thing right now is to not lose hope,” protestor Lizi Kenchoshvili, 23, told AFP outside parliament minutes after the vote, vowing to continue protesting.

Opposition lawmaker Khatia Dekanoidze told AFP the result was to be expected.

“It’s not about the law, it’s about the geopolitical choice in favour of Russia. Right now we are waiting for the sanctions from the United States and also from the European Union,” she said.

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said the idea of sanctions was not “serious”.

“No one can punish the Georgian people, and no one can punish the authorities elected by the Georgian people,” he told a press conference after the vote.

His party, Georgian Dream, says the law will ensure “transparency” and argues Western-funded groups undermine Georgia’s sovereignty.

But rights groups and Western governments warn the law will further ignite tensions in the deeply polarised Caucasus country ahead of October parliamentary elections seen as a key democratic test.

Non-governmental organisations, including anti-corruption group Transparency International, have told AFP the law could see their assets frozen and their work limited.

Tensions were high in the parliamentary chamber ahead of the vote, with opposition lawmaker Giorgi Vashadze doused with water as he gave a speech.

Scuffles and fights have broken out between government and opposition lawmakers on at least two previous occasions over the last month.

‘Derailing’

Earlier Borrell warned that Georgia’s government was “derailing from the European track.”

President Zurabishvili, a fierce critic of the ruling party, has called on the opposition to form a united front ahead of parliamentary elections in October.

The law was first adopted by parliament two weeks ago, but vetoed by Zurabishvili days later on May 18.

The United States announced last week it would place visa restrictions on Georgian officials should the bill be signed into law and was reviewing its relations with Tbilisi. 

Activists, independent journalists and opposition politicians have faced weeks of violence and threats since the government announced the draft legislation, in what rights groups have called a targeted campaign. 

Opposition politicians have accused the government of derailing Georgia from its Western trajectory and leading the country back to the Kremlin’s orbit — an accusation it denies.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Demonstrators attend an opposition protest against “the Russian law” near the Parliament building in the centre of Tbilisi, Georgia, on May 14, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

The Georgian Parliament on May 14 approved in the third and final reading a divisive bill that sparked weeks of mass protests, with critics seeing it as a threat to democratic freedoms and the country’s aspirations to join the European Union.

The bill requires media and nongovernmental organizations and other nonprofits to register as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad.

The government says the bill is necessary to stem what it deems as harmful foreign influence over the country’s politics and to prevent unspecified foreign actors from trying to destabilize it.

The opposition has denounced the bill as “the Russian law,” because Moscow uses similar legislation to crack down on independent news media, nonprofits and activists critical of the Kremlin.

Mass protests against the law in recent weeks have swept the South Caucasus nation of 3.7 million.

European Council President Charles Michel on May 14 spoke of Georgian lawmakers in Copenhagen, at a conference on democracy, and said that “if they want to join the EU, they have to respect the fundamental principles of the rule of law and the democratic principles.”

The bill is nearly identical to one that the governing Georgian Dream party was pressured to withdraw last year after street protests. Renewed demonstrations have rocked Georgia for weeks, with demonstrators scuffling with police, who used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowds.

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, who is increasingly at odds with the governing party, has vowed to veto the law but Georgian Dream has a majority sufficient to override a presidential veto. After the final reading in the parliament, the law will be sent to Ms. Zourabichvili, and she has 14 days to either veto or approve it.

A brawl erupted in Parliament as lawmakers were debating the bill earlier on May 14.

Georgian Dream MP Dimitry Samkharadze was seen charging toward Levan Khabeishvili, the chairman of main opposition party United National Movement, after Khabeishvili accused him of organizing mobs to beat up opposition supporters.

In recent days, several protesters and opposition members have been beaten up. The opposition linked the incidents to the protests.