Georgia v Scotland
Friday 4th September – Kickoff: 1700hrs
Football – International Football – European Championships
Group D is the tightest of all the qualifying groups for next year’s European Championships. Four teams are separated by five points, but there’s only three between Poland, Germany and Scotland who occupy the top three spots. With Germany hosting group leaders Poland on Friday evening, Scotland know that any sort of win would see them joint second at the very worst with three games to go. Granted they still have to face both sides in those remaining fixtures but those encounters will be played at Hampden Park, which should be a slight advantage for Gordon Strachan’s men. Before they can even contemplate playing against those sides, they must get past a tricky trip to Georgia.
It has been a very disappointing few years for the Georgian national team who have struggled to find a consistent run of form. Their current qualifying campaign has yielded only three points from their first six matches – and that came against minnows Gibraltar. Other than that, it has been five defeats including losing all three at home. Those defeats have come against the Republic of Ireland, Poland and Germany, and Georgia have managed just one goal in those home games. They have actually managed just one win in their last 11 competitive home games stretching back to 2011, which will be a record they hope to improve on over the next few weeks with Gibraltar to face at home after this game.
Having not reached a major international championship since the World Cup in 1998, the Tartan Army will feel it’s long overdue, and it would be rather fitting that should they qualify for Euro 2016, it would mean return to France and the same country which hosted the World Cup 17 years ago. Strachan’s men have tasted defeat only once in this group, which came in the opening match of the campaign away to current World Champions, Germany. Since then they have picked up valuable points away to Poland and Ireland. Home wins over Martin O’Neill’s men, Gibraltar and Friday’s opponents have put them in with a more than decent chance of finishing in the top three at the very least. Although nothing will be decided over the next two games, Friday’s match in Georgia and Monday’s home game against the Germans will go a long way Scotland’s finishing position in this section.
The importance of this game cannot be underestimated in terms of Scotland’s chances of making it to Euro 2016. With the top two facing each other immediately after their match in Georgia, it is essential that the Scots get the three points to not only maximise their chances of finishing in the top two, but also lay down a marker ahead of facing the top two in their final three games, and matching both of their wins away to the same opponent is the perfect way of doing that.
Georgia v Scotland Betting Tips
Although Georgia are playing for pride, international football is such these days that there is no walkover and Scotland will have to be at their best to get the win. Their games home and away to Ireland have shown that there is very little between themselves and the Republic, and as O’Neill’s men had to rely on a last minute winner in Tbilisi back in September of last year. Scotland also only beat Georgia by the narrowest of margins at home last year, and I expect it to be a similar type of game on Friday.
Strachan’s men have scored in all three of their away games in Group D, including twice against current leaders Poland, so they will be confident of continuing that run against a Georgian outfit who have conceded eight in three home games. The last time these two nations met in Georgia, the home team pulled off a surprise 2-0 success which put a huge dent in Scotland’s chances of making it to Euro 2008. It’s a feat I cannot see being repeated this time around, mainly because Scotland have yet to shirk any challenge under the current regime. I don’t think it will be a classic of free-flowing football, but the visitors should have enough to claim the win and set things up for Monday’s massive game with Germany.
Scotland 21/20 @ Coral
