Mamardashvili saves penalty as Georgia hold Northern Ireland in Nations League

It is a sign of Northern Ireland’s progress that irritation was writ large across the faces of players, supporters and the manager, Michael O’Neill, as scoreless parity was confirmed. This youthful team had already emerged as one of the fascinating tales of the Nations League.

That they were unable to breach Georgia, even with a late penalty, understandably stung, yet this has been a hugely positive window. They emerge unbeaten and atop their group. In a nod to the exertions of a four-game spell this early in the season, plus heavy travel in Northern Ireland’s case, exhaustion was obvious long before full time.

The difficulty here related to a rising wave of expectation. The superb performance during Friday’s 3-0 win over Ukraine backed up victory away to Georgia and a draw with Hungary. O’Neill’s men were yet to concede a goal in this section. A team quietly tipped to peak around qualification for Euro 2028 was blossoming earlier than anticipated, and this without the long-term absentee Conor Bradley. Northern Ireland’s oldest starter for Georgia’s visit was the 28-year-old Ciaron Brown. The partners for Brown in a three-man back line were 20 and 21.

Georgia are a curious case, ranked outside the world’s top 70 yet containing one of its finest players. Clearly Khvicha Kvaratskhelia cannot carry a nation on his own. Indeed, the superstar’s first act was to pass the ball straight to Ethan Galbraith in the Northern Ireland midfield. During the nondescript early exchanges, Kvaratskhelia also gifted possession to Jamie Donley.

What football existed in the first half came from the hosts. Ruairi McConville, one of those fresh-faced centre-backs, came closest to opening the scoring with a header from Justin Devenny’s cross, Giorgi Mamardashvili not at all convincing in denying him. Georgia responded, an excellent save from Pierce Charles necessary to deny Zuriko Davitashvili. The let-off triggered a sweeping Northern Ireland move which culminated in Devenny over-hitting a low cross. Northern Ireland were frustrated by the wasting of umpteen set plays during the first period.

That Davitashvili moment aside, Georgia offered nothing in an attacking sense. Northern Ireland should have edged ahead four minutes before the interval, Patrick Kelly instead fluffing his lines having evaded the Georgia defence from Trai Hume’s through ball.

Kelly appeared in two minds over whether to shoot or play in a teammate, and the visitors seized upon his indecision. The half ended with Isaac Price curling a free-kick into the wrong side of the Georgian side-netting. This rather summed up 45 minutes of promise and no punch from those in green.

Price, born in Yorkshire, epitomises Northern Ireland’s diligence in sourcing players available through bloodline eligibility. The Manchester-born Charles brothers – Shea, the captain, was once again classy in midfield as Pierce kept goal – do likewise. This is, however, no team pulled together from afar; Galbraith was once a boy wonder in Belfast before being coaxed to Manchester United as a teenager. His imaginative playmaking will surely one day be worthy of a grander stage than Stoke and the Championship.

This big-picture stuff was irrelevant as Georgia stood firm. On a rare counterattack, Pierce Charles was called into action to collect a deflected shot from the substitute Giorgi Tsitaishvili. This was a game of chess, a game of intrigue, where Northern Ireland were superior while lacking a ruthless touch. Georgia’s threat was understated but real.

Galbraith limped off with 25 minutes to play, in what constituted an obvious blow to O’Neill. The game by now was tense and scrappy. While against better opponents that may have suited Northern Ireland, that was patently not the case this time. Georgia were managing to sap energy from the home support.

With fatigue apparent across the pitch, O’Neill turned to a 36-year-old who plies his club trade at Stevenage to beef up the attack. Josh Magennis edges ever close to 100 caps, with this No 93.

Kvaratskhelia had been strangely subdued for 79 minutes, but striding forward from midfield, the Paris Saint-Germain forward cracked a 20-yard drive just over the crossbar. What a goal it would have been if a touch lower.

Magennis was handed a golden chance but Mamardashvili saved. A melee from the subsequent corner saw the crossbar struck but, more significantly, the video assistant referee’s attention drawn to a kick in the face of McConville by Budu Zivzivadze. A spot-kick was correctly awarded. Up stepped Price, whose penalty was saved, low to his right, by Mamardashvili. Had Northern Ireland passed up their moment? As Shea Charles curled wide, they had. Georgia, themselves weary, stood firm.