Emotional win for Georgia

GEORGIA scored a last-gasp goal to claim a shock victory over Wales at the Liberty Stadium last night to prompt exuberant celebrations from their ex-patriot fans.

Wales led in the first period through a long-range Jason Koumas strike, and should have been further ahead at the break.

But Georgia’s desire for an emotional victory, given the nature of their war-torn country, was greater than Wales’, and they equalised through Levan Kenia and then grabbed an injury-time winner through substitute Beka Gotsiridze.

It was no more than they deserved. They overcame considerable difficulties to be in Swansea for this friendly due to the war with Russia, and a hastily patched-together squad was captained by Blackburn’s Zurab Khizanishvili and included a host of home-based players.

Georgia may well have had problems getting their top men here, but those that did figure showed class, passing ability and excellent movement.

Khizanishvili and Levan Mchedlidze both saw headers go close in the opening minutes.

But Wales slowly worked their way into the game, with Simon Davies firing over from five yards after Parry’s fine cross.

Wales then took the lead after 16 minutes when Koumas cracked in a vicious 25-yarder that goalkeeper Giorgi Loria half-stopped, but allowed the ball to bounce out of his grasp and over the line.

Loria was forced into a plunging save to stop a Parry drive, and the Cardiff man went close again from a Davies pulled-back cross.

Koumas was finding space at will, with the Georgians failing to put him under much pressure.

Neil Eardley and Davies combined well down the right after 26 minutes to produce a delivery that evaded Loria and saw Koumas fire into the side netting.

Georgia started the second period with a quicker tempo and generally more urgency.

Substitute Rati Aleksidze saw a header go just wide, with Levan Kenia firing over soon after.

And it was no surprise when Georgia equalised after 66 minutes. Aleksidze’s ball cut through the centre of the Wales defence to allow Kenia the opportunity to guide the ball past Boaz Myhill.

There was a hint of offside about the goal, but it was clinically taken.

Wales hit back when Davies was played in by Koumas, and the Fulham man got round Loria to produce a shot that Levan Khamaladze cleared from in front of an open goal.

Robert Earnshaw finally got into the fray when he replaced Eastwood after 79 minutes, having been left out of the last four squads.

But Wales were struggling, generally, at this stage. Georgia having looked the better side in the second-half.

Koumas’ impact had been nothing like as impressive as his first-half contribution. He had switched from wing to wing without much effect.

And Georgia punished Wales with an injury-time winner when Beka Gotsiridze took advantage of a mix-up between Ashley Williams and Myhill to head home.

WALES: Myhill, Eardley, Ricketts, Robinson, Morgan, Williams, Fletcher, Simon Davies, Parry (Vaughan 70), Koumas, Eastwood (Earnshaw 90).

GEORGIA: Loria, Lobjanidze, Khizanishvili, Asatiani, Menteshashvili, Mujiri (Mchedildze 46), Kvakhadze, Odikadze, Kenia (Klimiashvili 46), Iashvili, McHedlidze.

Referee: Matej Jug (Slovenia).