Northern Ireland will be aiming for a repeat performance against Georgia when they face them for a second time in 11 days in the UEFA Nations League later today.
That’s the promise of Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill as his team look to consolidate their position at the top of League B Group 2.
The Georgians provide the opposition in the fourth and final part of a Nations League quadruple header in September/October. The game at the Clearer Twist National Stadium at Windsor Park has a 7.45pm kick-off.
In his Manager’s View column in the matchday programme, O’Neill says: “The players put in an excellent performance against Georgia in our opening B2 match and will be aiming to repeat the feat in Belfast.
“I have always said positive results in home games are a must in any campaign.”
Since that 1-0 away win Northern Ireland have gone on to draw 0-0 with top seeds Hungary at home last Monday and defeat Ukraine 3-0 in Slovakia on Friday night.
The manager further says: “If we match the performance we produced in Tbilisi, and in Trnava, then I am sure we will get more points on the board.”
Northern Ireland currently sit top of League B Group 2 with seven points, while Georgia are propping up the table with a single point after three games in the group. On Friday they were defeated by Hungary.
The Northern Ireland boss points out: “Georgia came on strong in the second half of the game in the Georgian capital and we will be wary of them, perhaps more so given their defeat in Budapest on Friday night.
“I thought we coped well in that match in Tbilisi with Georgia talisman Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, player of the season in the UEFA Champions League in 2025-26.
“However, we will have to be fully focused all over again because world class players like Kvaratskhelia have the ability to change a game with a piece of magic. We also must be aware that the Georgia squad has lots of good players apart from the PSG star.”
Since the teams met at the start of this international window Georgia have hired a new head coach.
Ramaz Svanadze is now in the dugout after the 1-0 loss to Northern Ireland brought the curtain down on Willy Sagnol's reign.
Former Champions League winner Sagnol took Georgia to their first ever major tournament - they reached the last 16 at Euro 2024 - but Shea Charles' late winner in Tbilisi just over a week ago was the last straw as far as the Georgian Football Federation was concerned following a disappointing World Cup qualifying campaign.
Instead they have now turned to Svanadze, who had been in charge of the Georgia Under-21s team for the past five years.
In his column O’Neill also notes: “Ramaz Svanadze is well known to the bulk of his players, having coached Georgia’s U19s and U21s before stepping up to the senior team hotseat, and I have no doubt the players in his squad will want to put on a good performance for him.
“But I believe we have the players to cope with anything they throw at us – and that the players will rise to the occasion once again, as they did against Ukraine in Slovakia.”
Reflecting on the victory in Trnava, the Northern Ireland boss said: “The performance against Ukraine on Friday night was excellent. It was a fantastic result.
“The early goal helped us settle into the game, and the second goal was brilliant. The third was fortuitous but you take that.
“We limited the opposition to crosses and shots from outside the box. And I thought we defended brilliantly.
“I was delighted for Ciaron Brown. He’s a great competitor who has never let us down. It was great to see him score, not once but twice. And, of course, he also did his normal job in defence extremely well alongside Ruairi and Tom, as well as Terry and Brodie, to ensure we kept another clean sheet."
Tonight’s game is being shown live on BBC 1 Northern Ireland, BBC 3 network and on the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website and app. There will also be commentary on BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Sounds. And you can follow it on Northern Ireland social channels.
