Kerr angry as Russians gain advantage

Republic of Ireland manager Brian Kerr has slammed the decision to make Georgia play a match behind closed doors following the knife-throwing incident when the two teams met in Tbilisi last month.

Georgia will have to play their Euro 2004 qualifier against Russia on April 30 in an empty stadium after Sunderland midfielder Kevin Kilbane was hit by a pen-knife thrown from the crowd.

The knife was just one of a number of missiles thrown from the crowd on a hostile night in the Georgian capital.