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Main » 2013 » May » 31 » International Friendly : Republic of Ireland - Georgia

International Friendly : Republic of Ireland - Georgia

international friendly
Georgia will be looking for their first win this year when they take on the Republic of Ireland in a friendly international on Sunday.
In five matches in 2013, Georgia have scored just two goals, losing to Spain, Belarus and France, while claiming draws versus Finland and Egypt.

Georgia's head coach Temuri Ketsbaia will be hoping he can lead his team to their first win since a 1-0 victory over Belarus in September last year, but the 45-year-old former midfielder will need to fix his side's attack if they are to overcome Giovanni Trapattoni's Ireland.

Ketsbaia has tried Levan Mchedlidze, Alexander Kobakhidze and Mate Vatsadze at the point of his preferred 4-5-1 formation this year but with that trio having notched a combined total of four international goals, Georgia clearly lack a genuine goal-scorer.

Legia Warsaw's Vladimir Dvalishvili could be the answer for Ketsbaia with the 27-year-old striker having scored 16 goals in 33 matches for his Polish club in the past season.

Dvalishvili also has an international record of four goals in 21 matches, better than Empoli's Mchedlidze (two goals in 20 games) and similar to Kobakhidze of Arsenal Kiev (two in nine).

Trapattoni will be hoping to use Sunday's game at Dublin's Aviva Stadium to boost his team's confidence ahead of their World Cup qualifier against the Faroe Islands on June 7.

Ireland pulled off a 1-1 draw away to England on Tuesday with Shane Long scoring for Trapattoni's men, while Russia-based midfielder Aiden McGeady was also impressive for the Irish.

McGeady, who scored five goals and set-up four more in 17 games for Russian Premier League club Spartak Moscow this season, will be Ireland's main creative option against Georgia, while Los Angeles Galaxy veteran Robbie Keane will also provide some nous in the final third.

Keane scored a hat-trick for the Galaxy before joining his Ireland team-mates for the England friendly, while the 32-year-old forward has been involved in 11 of LA's 21 goals so far this season, hitting the back of the net five times.

History suggests Ireland should win Sunday's clash as they have emerged triumphant from all four previous games against Georgia.
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