Watch the strange scenario that Lamine Yamal did against Georgia and the crazy, hysterical joy of Yamal.
DANI OLMO, Nico Williams, Fabian Ruiz and Rodri struck as Spain completed a turnaround after a shock early own goal.
Spain had been piling on the pressure, but a quick Georgian counter saw Robin Le Normand turn into his own net for the match’s opener.
La Roja, one of the pre-tournament favourites, had it all to do – but Man City star Rodri fired in a smart strike from the edge of the box to start the turn around and were then able to take control of the game.
Spain 3-1 Georgia
79. The rain is lashing down in Cologne.
Only lightning and Michael Oliver can save Georgia now.
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Spain 3-1 Georgia
77. Williams works wonders on the left again!
This time he cues up Olmo, who plants his shot straight at Mamardashvili.
It should have been four.
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Spain 3-1 Georgia
75. There’s no doubt about this one though!
And this time it’s Spain’s turn to counter to devastating effect.
Fabian Ruiz scoops up possession outside of his own penalty area, and sends a wonderful 50-yard pass into the path of Nico Williams.
With Otar Kakabadze upfield, Williams has room to exploit, and does so at speed by bursting into the box beyond Giorgi Gvelesiani.
Giving Giorgi Mamardashvili the eyes, the Bilbao forward slams into the roof of the net to seal Spain’s spot in the quarter-finals.
Spain 2-1 Georgia
73. Spain have a third! But it’s not going to count!
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Spain 2-1 Georgia – Davitashvili yellow card
70. Now the other sub gets stuck into the action.
Or stuck into Dani Olmo, I should say,
The Bordeaux man is booked for thundering into the Spain substitute on halfway.
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Spain 2-1 Georgia
68. A half-chance presents itself for Giorgi Tsitaishvili on the left.
The substitute could either go across Unai Simon or look for a teammate in the middle, but instead slices wildly wide of the near post.
Perhaps the 23-year-old could have done with a few minutes to get up to speed before taking on that opportunity.
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Spain 2-1 Georgia – Spain double substitution
66. Luis de la Fuente responds in kind.
The Spain head coach calls for Alex Grimaldo and Mikel Oyarzabal for the final quarter of this game with Marc Cucurella and Alvaro Morata making way.
As Morata departs, he hands the captain’s armband on to Rodri.
Spain 2-1 Georgia – Georgia double substitution
64. Giorgi Tsitaishvili and Zuriko Davitashvili are on to beef up the Georgia midfield.
Willy Sagnol sends the pair on in place of Luka Lochoshvili and Giorgi Chakvetadze.
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Spain 2-1 Georgia
62. Oh no! Kochorashvili gives an opportunity to Yamal with a slack pass across his own goal.
Oh no! The teenager looks certain to make it three, only to slam his shot into the advertising hoardings.
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Spain 2-1 Georgia
60. This Round of 16 tie hits the hour mark in Cologne.
As it stands, Spain are heading for a quarter-final with hosts Germany.
But you just never know with this never-say-die spirit from the Georgians…
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Spain 2-1 Georgia
58. Despite falling behind, the Georgian gameplan remains the same: dig in and wait for those moments to counter.
The only issue now is that Spain no longer feel the need to commit men forward.
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Spain 2-1 Georgia
56. Fabian Ruiz had threatened a goal since the first minute, and now has his third in his last four games for Spain in all competitions.
The midfielder had only netted once in his first 22 caps.
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Spain 2-1 Georgia – Spain substitution
53. Not content with another assist, Yamal wants a goal of his own as he pulls a fierce shot wide from the edge of the area.
Meanwhile, Luis de la Fuente has made a change following that goal, bringing on Dani Olmo for Pedri.
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Spain 2-1 Georgia
51. Fabian Ruiz heads Spain in front for the first time!
Lamine Yamal was denied from the free-kick, his shot pushed out by Giorgi Mamardashvili, but the 16-year-old quickly refocused and pulled away into space on the right.
Seconds later, the ball arrived at his feet, and he chipped over a delightful cross for Ruiz to head in at the far post, through Mamardashvili from point-blank range.
Spain 1-1 Georgia
50. Lamine Yamal is scythed down just outside of the penalty area, and Spain have a free-kick in a very dangerous position.
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Spain 1-1 Georgia
48. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from the halfway line!! Just wide!!
Incredible inventiveness and vision from the Georgian superstar, who intercepts a slack Spanish pass in the centre-circle and immediately unleashes a shot with Unai Simon off his line.
That would have been the moment of the tournament!
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Kick-off – Spain 1-1 Georgia
46. There are no further changes to report as Georgia kick-off the second half, and it doesn’t take Spain long to continue where they left off.
Within seconds of the restart, Morata backheels into the path of Ruiz, who drags a shot wide from 20 yards.
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First half facts and figures
Extraordinary numbers in Cologne.
Spain had 15 more shots than Georgia in the first half, the joint-biggest difference in the first half of a game at the European Championship along with Netherlands versus Latvia in 2004.
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Half-time – Spain 1-1 Georgia
Wow. What a game. What a scoreline.
As one-sided a match as you will see in knockout international football, and yet somehow the two nations are level at the break.
It’s been sheer Spain dominance in Cologne, and La Roja were finally rewarded with a goal from Rodri shortly before the break.
And yet Georgia have looked so, so threatening on the counter, and you would not bet against them adding to the own goal scored by Robin Le Normand.
- Spain 0-0 Georgia15. Laporte gets his head on Spain’s latest corner, but his downward effort at the back post is deflected behind Dvali.It should be another corner, but the referee is clearly tired of pointing in that direction and awards a goalkick.
Spain 0-0 Georgia13. The Spanish win their fifth corner of the contest already.Williams swings it out this time, and it takes a very brave header from Kochorashvili to relieve the pressure.The Georgian actually wins a free-kick inside his own area after a collision with Le Normand.
Spain 0-0 Georgia11. A Williams corner – one of several already – is met at the near post by Carvajal’s glancing header, forcing Mamardashvili into a smart save.Moments later Williams is involved again, unleashing a shot from distance that is deflected behind for another corner.
Spain 0-0 Georgia9. Cucurella wins a corner when his cross is turned behind by Gvelesiani.Georgia have to stand strong to this relentless pressure.
Spain 0-0 Georgia7. It’s red wave after red wave at the moment, and I’m not sure Georgia have made it out of their own half yet.For Cavajal and Lamal on the right, read Cucurella and Williams on the left.
