EUROPEAN QUALIFIERS - 2014/16 SEASON MATCH PRESS KITS Boris Paichadze Erovnuli Stadioni Dinamo Arena - Tbilisi Sunday 7 September 2014 Georgia 18.00CET (20.00 local time) Republic of Ireland Group D - Matchday 1 Last updated 03/06/2015 05:42CET

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Match background 2 Legend 3

1 Georgia - Republic of Ireland Sunday 7 September 2014 - 18.00CET (20.00 local time) Match press kit Boris Paichadze Erovnuli Stadioni Dinamo Arena, Tbilisi

Match background

Georgia will hope to kick off their UEFA EURO 2016 Group D campaign with a break from the norm as they take on the Republic of Ireland for a sixth time, still looking for a first win against their opponents. Match background • Georgia's record in five games against Ireland is W0 D0 L5 (W0 D0 L1 at home – W0 D0 L3 in Dublin). Those overall fixtures include a FIFA World Cup qualifier played on neutral territory in Mainz, Germany, due to the political situation in Georgia at the time. • The sides first met in UEFA EURO 2004 qualifying. On 29 March 2003, in Tbilisi, Brian Kerr's Ireland beat Alexandre Chevadze's Georgia 2-1, Damien Duff (18) and Gary Doherty (85) scoring either side of Levan Kobiashvili's 61st- minute equaliser. By the time of the return leg, on 11 June the same year, Ivan Šušak had replaced Chevadze as Georgia coach but Ireland won again, Doherty (43) and Robbie Keane (59) the scorers in a 2-0 home victory. • The nations' last competitive meetings were in 2010 World Cup qualifying. In Mainz on 6 September 2008, Kevin Doyle (13) and Glenn Whelan (70) helped earn Giovanni Trapattoni's Ireland a 2-1 win, with Levan Kobiashvili (90+2) scoring a consolation for Héctor Cúper's Georgia. Ireland won the return fixture at Dublin's Croke Park on 11 February 2009 by the same scoreline, despite Sandro Iashvili's first-minute opener; Robbie Keane (73p 78) struck twice to turn the match around. • The sides' last meeting was a friendly in Dublin on 2 June 2013. Trapattoni's side beat Temur Ketsbaia's Georgia 4-0 with goals from Richard Keogh (42), Simon Cox (48) and Robbie Keane (77 88) following the 20th-minute dismissal of Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Loria. Substitute Keane was making a record-matching 125th appearance for Ireland. • Ireland have not won in the nations' eight meetings in UEFA age-group competitions, with the record W0 D6 L2. • In the only UEFA club competition meetings between sides from these nations, FC Dinamo Tbilisi beat Waterford United FC 1-0 away and 4-0 at home in the second round en route to winning the 1980/81 European Cup Winners' Cup.

2 Georgia - Republic of Ireland Sunday 7 September 2014 - 18.00CET (20.00 local time) Match press kit Boris Paichadze Erovnuli Stadioni Dinamo Arena, Tbilisi Legend

:: Previous meetings

Goals for/against: Goal totals include the outcome of disciplinary decisions (e.g. match forfeits when a 3-0 result is determined). Goals totals do not include goals scored during a penalty shoot-out after a tie ended in a draw

:: Squad list

Qual.: Total European Qualifiers appearances/goals for UEFA EURO 2016 only. FT: Total UEFA EURO 2016 appearances/goals in final tournament only. Overall: Total international appearances/goals. DoB: Date of birth Age: Based on the date press kit was last updated D: Disciplinary (*: misses next match if booked, S: suspended)

:: Team facts

EURO finals: The UEFA European Championship was a four-team event in 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972 and 1976 (when the preliminary round and quarter-finals were considered part of qualifying).

From 1980 it was expanded to an eight-team finals and remained in that format in 1984, 1988 and 1992 until 1996, when the 16-team format was adopted. UEFA EURO 2016 is the first tournament to be played as a 24-team finals.

Records of inactive countries A number of UEFA associations have been affected by dissolution or splits of member associations. For statistical purposes, the records of these inactive countries have been allocated elsewhere: therefore, all Soviet Union matches are awarded to Russia; all West Germany – but not East Germany – matches are awarded to Germany; all Yugoslavia and Serbia & Montenegro matches are awarded to Serbia; all Czechoslovakia matches are allocated to both the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Abandoned/forfeited matches For statisical purposes, when a match has been started and then abandoned but later forfeited, the result on the pitch at the time of abandonment is counted. Matches that never started and were either cancelled or forfeited are not included in the overall statistics. Competitions Other abbreviations (aet): After extra time pens: Penalties No.: Number og: Own goal ag: Match decided on away goals P: Penalty agg: Aggregate Pld: Matches played AP: Appearances Pos.: Position Comp.: Competition Pts: Points D: Drawn R: Sent off (straight red card) DoB: Date of birth Res.: Result ET: Extra Time sg: Match decided by silver goal GA: Goals against t: Match decided by toss of a coin GF: Goals for W: Won gg: Match decided by golden goal Y: Booked L: Lost Y/R: Sent off (two yellow cards) Nat.: Nationality N/A: Not applicable Disclaimer: Although UEFA has taken all reasonable care that the information contained within this document is accurate at the time of publication, no representation or guarantee (including liability towards third parties), expressed or implied, is made as to its accuracy, reliability or completeness. Therefore, UEFA assumes no liability for the use or interpretation of information contained herein. More information can be found in the competition regulations available on UEFA.com.

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