Georgian team played a scoreless draw with French team in the qualifying match of World Championship in Tbilisi on “Dinamo Arena” and they achieved the historical result. We had lost against them 3 matches from three before. The French are in the 2^nd place in the group after Spain and this match had a great importance for them. Didier Deschamps said, that they should win this game. Our team had their ambition, first of all, to prove that they can be equal to French team and the second, if we want to go through the 3^rd place in the group each point has a price of gold for us. There was one more reason, we lost several matches in a row last time and not to defeat against France, it would annual everything, and it happened so.

In the first half, the guests had a less advantage, but we cannot say that they excelled us very much. This proved that shots in the goal and unofficial duel of Loria – Lloris. Goalkeepers of “Tottenham” and “Dinamo” parried the ball once. The French first attacked us at the 8^th minute, but the most dangerous moment for us was at the 13^th minute, when Ribery scored very dangerously after the assist of Jiru, but he failed to score. At the 26^th minute, the Georgians were able to promote, but Lloris parried the ball of Okriashvili. The guests immediately counter attacked us, at first Benzema scored and Loria parried the ball, than Ribery, but the defenders carried out the ball.

The Georgians started the second half energetically. At the 48^th minute, Kobakhidze burst in the penalty area, made assist to Okriashvili, but Lloris parried his ball. The repeated shot hit the crossbar. This caused an explosion of emotions in the tribunes. After, the French were attacking more, but they did not have real chance for scoring. Ketsbaia, replaced Kobakhidze by Elguja Grigalashvili in the middle of round, ad Ananidze replaced by Targamadze and the coach equalized the game.

In the final, the French attacked us strongly. At the 84^th minute Loria parried 2 dangerous kicks, first he parried the ball of Ribery and then of Valbuena.

Roughly the same repeated at the 90^th minute, when Loria parried the header kick of Jiru and then neutralized the close kick of Sanaia. Inspired fans were shouting “Loria, Loria”.

Loria, Kankava and Okriashvili were distinguished from others. Maybe Kankava has not showed himself well on the field but he really did the great work, his merit is that Ribery could not score. Okriashvili was exacerbating the game effectively and if he were more luck, he would be an author of the historical goal.

Georgia–France 0:0

September 6. Tbilisi. “Dinamo arena”.

Georgia: Loria, Lobjanidze, Grigalava, Kashia, Amisulashvili, Khubutia, Kankava, Kobakhidze (Elguja Grigalashvili 60), Gelashvili (Dvalishvili 79), Ananidze (Targamadze 70), Okriashvili

Head coach: Temur Ketsbaia

France: Lloris, Evra, Sagna, Koscienly, Sissoko, Valbuena, Guilavogui (Nasri 78), Abidal, Ribery, Benzema (Gignac 62), Jiru

Head coach: Didier Deschamps

Yellow cards: Okriashvili (37), Loria (87)

Referee: Firat  Aydinus (Turkey)

Finland - Spain 0:2

September 10

Georgia - Finland

Belarus - France

Solomon Gulisashvili