Uninspiring draw in Tbilisi

Georgia 0 Montenegro 0

Georgia and Montenegro both remain winless in World Cup qualifying Group Eight after battling out an uninspiring goalless draw in Tbilisi.

Neither team had the guile necessary to create an opening, meaning they stay occupying the last two spots in the group on three points apiece, although fifth-placed Montenegro have two games in hand on bottom team Georgia.

The Montenegrins, who lost 2-0 at home to Italy on Saturday, were without two of their biggest threats going forward in Mirko Vucinic and Simon Vukcevic, but still had the better of the play.

Zoran Filipovic’s side were unable to find a cutting edge in the final third, however, and failed to seriously test home goalkeeper Giorgi Lomaia.

Stevan Jovetic found himself well placed in the six-yard box in the ninth minute but saw his shot blocked.

The hosts, who went down 2-1 in Cyprus at the weekend, struggled to assert themselves in front of their own fans.

Their best opportunity arose midway through the first half when Alexander Iashvili struck a post following a cross from the left.

Montenegro stepped up the tempo in the final stages of the match, with defender Radoslav Batak trying his luck with a volley 11 minutes from time only for Lomaia to get in the way.

Jovetic had another sight of goal in the dying moments, but his fierce shot from 20 yards flew just wide of the upright.

Montenegro’s next chance to pick up three points will come in June when they travel to Larnaca to take on the Cypriots, while the Georgians are not in qualifying action until they host world champions Italy in September.