National Teams

Final 2019 appearance

Georgia challenge in
Pula, another Croatia
comeback

19.11.2019.
Georgia challenge in Pula, another Croatia comeback
photo by: Drago Sopta/HNS
  • Match report
  • Match Centre

Croatia national football team completed another successful year with another victory - following the comeback against Slovakia in Rijeka, Zlatko Dalić's men defeated Georgia in similar circumstances.

CROATIA - GEORGIA 2:1 (1:1)
International friendly.
Aldo Drosina Stadium, Pula.

Referee: A. M. Sant (Malta)

Goals: 0:1 - Papunashvili (19'), 1:1 - Kashia (25' - og), 2:1 - Perišić (53')

Cautions: -

Croatia: Kalinić (46' Sluga), Melnjak, Škorić, Jedvaj (46' Ćaleta-Car), Bartolec (46' Juranović), Kovačić (65' Vlašić), Badelj, Pašalić (75' Perić), Perišić, Rebić, Oršić (46' Rog). Head coach: Z. Dalić.

Gruzija: Makaridze, Navalovski, Khocholava (80' Grigalava), Kashia, Kakabadze (39' Shengelia), Aburjania, Jighauri, Gvilia (83' Kvilitaia), Qazaishvili (87' Kharaishvili), Papunashvili (64' Kiteishvili), Lobjanidze (51' Arabuli). Head coach: V. Weiss.

foto: Drago Sopta/HNS

In the final 2019 appearance, Croatia encountered Georgia at Aldo Drosina Stadium in Pula as the visitors have already begun to prepare for the EURO 2020 play-offs in March.

The Vatreni have opened the match with a couple of promising opportunities, but captain Perišić and Oršić could not beat Makaridze, while Jighauri missed a golden chance on the other side of the pitch.

Georgia, though, took the lead on 19 minutes, as Papunashvili found space to shoot from the edge of the box to beat Kalinić. The equalizier came just six minutes later: Oršić crossed from a set-piece, and Kashia diverted the ball into his own net.

In the following Croatia's attack Perišić hit the crossbar, with Rebić, Kovačić and Badelj all trying to score before the break.

foto: Drago Sopta/HNS

Croatia introduced four substitutes in the second half, with one of them soon to provide an assist. It was Juranović to cross from the right on 53 minutes, and Perišić headed the ball home.

Later on, Rebić continued his quest for a goal, Melnjak tried a long-range effort, while Georgia was looking for a second mainly in the closing minutes, as rain poured down and Croatia was playing without injured Vlašić and Juranović. However, goalkeeper Sluga and home side's defence interved to retain the victory for the current FIFA World Cup runners-up.

Croatia now awaits March 2020 to prepare for the upcoming European Championships, scheduled from 12 June to 12 July.

foto: Drago Sopta/HNS

19.11.2019., Aldo Drosina, Pula. Spectators: 5072
Referees: Alan Mario Sant (MLT), Duncan Sultana (MLT), Luke Portelli (MLT)
Fourth referee: Marin Vidulin (CRO)
Croatia
2
Georgia
1
12Lovre Kalinić
46'
12Giorgi Makaridze
14Mile Škorić2Otar Kakabadze
39'
8Mateo Kovačić
65'
3Davit Khocholava
80'
16Tin Jedvaj
46'
4Guram Kashia
25'
15Mario Pašalić
75'
8Valeri Qazaishvili
87'
4Ivan Perišić
53'
14Elguja Lobjanidze
51'
19Milan Badelj15Giorgi Aburjania
22Karlo Bartolec
46'
19Giorgi Papunashvili
19'
65'
2Dario Melnjak20Jambul Jigauri
9Mislav Oršić
46'
21Valerian Gvilia
83'
18Ante Rebić22Giorgi Navalovski
Bench
1Dominik Livaković1Giorgi Loria
23Simon Sluga
46'
17Lazare Kupatadze
6Duje Ćaleta-Car
46'
5Gia Grigalava
80'
11Marcelo Brozović6Murtaz Dausvhili
20Bruno Petković7Giorgi Kharaishvili
87'
3Borna Barišić9Otar Kiteishvili
65'
5Dino Perić
75'
10NIka Kvekveskiri
13Nikola Vlašić
65'
11Giorgi Kvilitaia
83'
17Marko Rog
46'
13Bachana Arabuli
51'
21Josip Juranović
46'
18Levan Shengelia
39'
23Giorgi Rekhviashvili
Coaches
Zlatko DalićVladimir Weiss