| 1 Lomaia 2 Khizanishvili 3 Khizaneishvili 4 Rekhviashvili 5 Kvirkvelia 6 Kemoklidze 7 Nemsadze (C) 48 8 Tskitishvili 9 Iashvili 48 10 Kobiashvili 11 Demetradze 72 Subs: 12 Gvaramadze 13 Daraselia 14 Shota Arveladze 48 15 Amisulashvili 16 Didava 48 17 Shashiashvili 18 Ashvetia 72 |
| Georgia 0-0 Switzerland |
| Georgia failed to send off coach Alexander Chivadze with the win his now former team needed to maintain any realistic hope of qualifying for UEFA EURO 2004™ on Wednesday in Tbilisi. The home side were held to a scoreless draw by Group 10 leaders Switzerland. Georgia were still missing influential defender Kakha Kaladze however Shota Arveladze and Zurab Khizanishvili returned to the squad after injury and suspension respectively. Temuri Ketsbaia and Gocha Jamarauli announced after the Georgia vs Rep Ireland they were retiring and Georgi Kinkladze left the squad to decide his own future. Chivadze made wholesale changes to the team that lost to Republic Ireland 2-1. Out went the ineffective defenders Georgi Shashiashvili, Alexander Amisulashvili and in came Revaz Kemoklidze and Zurab Khizanishvili. Jamarauli and Kinkladze's places went to David Kvirkvelia who was making his debut and Alexander Rekhviashvili. More might have been expected of the Swiss, who had already defeated Georgia 4-1 away and secured a memorable 2-1 victory against the Republic of Ireland at Lansdowne Road. Georgia, though, despite being outplayed in the first half, provided stern resistance and even the odd scare in the second. Swiss midfield player Ricardo Cabanas was first to threaten in the fifth minute but his shot was too central to trouble goalkeeper Georgi Lomaia, who was relieved to see a thunderous strike from Bernt Haas skid wide in the 18th minute. Lomaia soon had more to deal with, palming away the lively Hakan Yakin’s shot in the 26th minute before the action switched to the other end, FC Basel goalkeeper Pascal Zuberbühler saving tremendously after Georgi Demetradze's free-kick. It was the closest either side came to going ahead in the opening period. Just past the half hour, Stéphane Chapuisat sent a diving header straight at Lomaia but, on the whole, Georgia looked comfortable at the back, where centre-back Otar Khizaneishvili positively breathed defiance. Chivadze, who announced this would be his last game after the 2-1 reverse by Ireland on Saturday, introduced Rangers FC forward Shota Arveladze and Givi Didava after the interval. The move reaped immediate dividends with the home side proving the imminent resignation of their coach had done little to sap morale. Demetradze, the only serious threat to the Swiss, caused mayhem in the 54th minute. Levan Kobiashvili broke into the middle of the midfield area and passed to Shota Arveladze who flicked the ball over two Swiss defenders and put the ball through for Demetradze who forced the best out of Zuberbühler, who stood his ground and parried wide. Dato Kvirkvelia, suddenly a font of guile on the right flank, was working his way through his repetoire of tricks but failed to force the opening the home faithful demanded. Switzerland, however, weathered the storm and Chapuisat forged an opening in the 67th minute, only to have the ball spirited off his feet by another piece of deft defending from Khizaneishvili. By the time Murat Yakin shot from distance in the 79th minute, both sides appeared content to share a point. But Georgia will need at least three points in their next group game at home against second-placed Russia on 30 April. Switzerland, in an altogether more promising position, face the same opposition at home on 7 June. Teams: Referee: TRIVKOVIC Edo (CRO) Booked: Rekhviashvili (17) Kobiashvili (75) Ashvetia (83) -- Chapuisat (4) Attendance: 10,000 Pictures: |
| 2nd April |
| Georgia |
| Switzerland |
| 1 Zuberbühler 2 Haas 3 Berner 4 Müller 5 Murat Yakin 6 Vogel 7 Cabanas 67 8 Wicky 9 Frei 59 10 Hakan Yakin 90 11 Chapuisat Subs: 12 Borer 13 Meyer 14 Zwyssig 15 Celestini 59 16 Spycher 17 Cantaluppi 67 18 Thurre 90 |
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| Links: Group Table |
| Kvirkvelia and Kemoklidze tackle Switzerlands Stephane Chapuisat |
| Tskitishvili battles with Fabio Celestini |
| Zurab Khizanishvili battles with Stephane Chapuisat |
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