Stalemate leaves Georgia and Bulgaria well off the pace

GEORGIA and Bulgaria are still winless in World Cup qualifying after playing out a goalless draw which leaves both teams already struggling in Group Eight.

Already without the injured Kakha Kaladze and suspended duo Rati Aleksidze and Zurab Khizanishvili, Hector Cuper’s Georgia team suffered a further blow when star youngster Levan Kenia was forced to pull out shortly before kick-off.

Bulgaria were considered favourites for the tie, having held world champions Italy to a draw at the weekend, but it was the hosts who played the better of the two countries and deserved all three points rather than one which did neither nation any favours.