The road to the Euro 2024 knockout rounds looks a bit steeper for Georgia and Czechia after opening game losses — and that pulls their showdown on Saturday into must-win territory.
The Czechs had the bigger heartbreak in the first set of Group F fixtures as they fell to a last-gasp Portugal winner on Tuesday, while Georgia faded in a 3-1 loss to Turkey in their European Championships debut.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia & Co. get the underdogs tag for this June 22 battle in the latest Euro 2024 odds, but my free Georgia vs. Czechia predictions and Euro 2024 picks point to a more even contest.
Georgia vs Czechia picks, predictions, and betting tips
My best bet:
Draw (+275 at Betano)
My analysis
On paper, it’s easy to understand why Czechia is entering the favorites, particularly after such a disciplined performance on Tuesday, but this matchup has a different feel and I see value in picking the teams to share the points in what should be a tight, cagey clash.
The Czechs had just 27% of the possession against Portugal, buying into a compact defensive game plan to frustrate Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes, but can they flip the switch and come out of their shell against a Georgia team ranked 75th in the world? We didn’t see that side of the Czechs in midweek, though they almost escaped with a point.
I have my doubts about whether Czechia have the firepower to go on the offensive, even with Patrik Schick healthy after an injury-hit season. It suits them better to soak up pressure and strike on the counter-attack, and that’s not likely to be the game script on Saturday. As always, much depends on captain Tomas Soucek in midfield.
With the early tournament nerves out of the way, I expect a better effort from Georgia here. Willy Sagnol’s men are good enough to make this a real contest and it only takes an instant for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to create a moment of magic.
Sure, it’s hard to argue with the idea that just reaching this tournament was a triumph for the Georgians, but they hung with Turkey for an hour earlier this week and they look comfortable in their 3-5-2 formation. The quality of Valencia keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili helps their chances of grabbing a point and it took some terrific Turkish strikes to get past him on Tuesday.
Georgia have picked up draws against Scotland and Greece in the past 12 months, and they’re capable of a similarly competitive effort against a solid but unspectacular Czechia team. It may not be pretty but I like this price for a draw, even with both nations needing a victory.
Georgia vs Czechia same-game parlay (SGP)
Draw
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia anytime goalscorer
Under 4.5 cards
If Georgia are going to match their higher-ranked opponents on Saturday, it’s going to require a headline performance from talisman Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The Napoli star netted 11 times for the Gli Azzurri in Serie A last season and he’s a proven transition threat who will also be heavily involved on set pieces.
With some inexperienced defenders at the international level, Czechia haven’t kept a clean sheet in any of their last five games and were outshot 19-5 against Portugal. There are flaws to exploit if Georgia can mount sustained pressure and I like Kvaradona cashing in on the sight of goal.
It doesn’t have to be a classic Kvaratskhelia dribbling run either. Strike partner Georges Mikautadze stepped up against Turkey with a first-half equalizer and their link-up play offers another path to goal.
Even if there’s a hint of desperation in the air with two teams sitting on zero points, I don’t see a flurry of cards at Volksparkstadion, so I’m adding the Under on 4.5 cards for my SGP.
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Georgia vs Czechia odds
| Georgia | Czechia | |
|---|---|---|
| +390 | Moneyline | -128 |
| Over 2.5 (-102) | Total | Under 2.5 (-118) |
| +285 | Draw | +285 |
Odds courtesy of Betano on 6-20.
Georgia vs Czechia game info
| Location: | Volksparkstadion Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany |
| Date: | Saturday, June 22, 2024 |
| Time: | 9:00 a.m. ET |
| TV: | FUBO |
| Weather: | Cloudy, humid conditions, with temperatures in the high 60s. |
Not intended for use in MA.
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