Georgia vs Greece Odds: Euro Qualifying Play-off Final
Kvara Back for Georgia
Georgia Back in the Final
Almost four years ago, Georgian hearts were broken when the national team just missed out on qualifying for their first major tournament by losing 1-0 to North Macedonia. Now, Georgia have another opportunity to qualify for the Euros when they take on Greece on Tuesday in the Qualifying Play-off Final. Greece have missed out on the last two Euros but they picked up an emphatic 5-0 win over Kazakhstan last Thursday. With Georgia’s star man Khvicha Kvaratskhelia returning from a suspension, we’ll preview the Georgia vs Greece odds.
Georgia vs Greece
Date, time:
Location: Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena, Tbilisi, Georgia
Georgia vs Greece Head-to-Head
Before betting on the Georgia vs Greece odds, punters should note Georgia are winless in this fixture in nine previous matches. Georgia and Greece last met in World Cup Qualifiers in 2021, and Greece won 2-0 in Georgia and drew 1-1 in Thessaloniki. Notably, Greece are 4-0 on the road at Georgia all-time and 7-2-0 overall. Two of the last four have meetings have finished in draws.
Georgia Take Down Luxembourg
Without Khvicha Kvaratshkelia, Georgia coach Willy Sagnol had to adjust his lineup accordingly vs. Luxembourg last Thursday. In place of the Napoli winger/forward, Sagnol selected Budu Zivzivadze and the striker repaid Sagnol’s faith in him. In a rare start, Zivzivadze scored both of Georgia’s goals in the 2-0 victory and sent them through to the Euro 2024 Qualifying Play-off Final. Kvara will be back for Tuesday’s Path C Final and he’ll provide a big boost.
Kvaratskhelia has scored 15 goals in just 28 matches for the Georgia national team. The 23-year old is on pace to be Georgia’s greatest-ever player and he could cement his legacy by helping them advance to their first major tournament. Georgia’s team around him is more well-rounded than it has been in quite some time and others, like goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili and attacking midfielder Giorgi Chakvetadze, are worth watching.
Although they’ve kept three clean sheets in their last five matches overall, Georgia won just two of their eight group stage UEFA Euro qualifiers games. They were in a tricky group, with Spain, Scotland, Norway and Cyprus and went 2-2-4. Kvara scored four goals, while Georges Mikautadze wasn’t far behind, with three. Georgia finished in fourth place out of five but advanced to the Play-off based on their unbeaten 5-1-0 record in the UEFA Nations League.
Greece in Rare Form
Greece have only lost two of their last ten matches and they have arguably their strongest side in a decade. They were in complete control of last Thursday’s match vs. Kazakhstan. Four different Greek players got on the scoresheet and Kazakhstan sent in an own goal in Greece’s 5-0 victory. Now, Greece are just one win away from qualifying for their first Euro appearance since 2012. Plus, many Euro qualifiers predictions had Greece advancing to Euro 2024 when the Semifinal fixtures were drawn.
Although he didn’t get on the scoresheet on Thursday, there’s no doubting forward/winger Georgios Masouras is a key player for Gus Poyet’s Greece. He provided two assists vs. Kazakhstan and is one to watch vs. Georgia. Anastasios Bakasetas and Petros Mantalos are also mainstays in the midfield.
Greece finished in third place ahead of Ireland and Gibraltar and behind France and the Netherlands in the Group B UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying standings. Like Georgia, they won their UEFA Nations League Group to advance to the Play-off. Greece have kept four clean sheets in their last six matches and have a good deal of confidence heading into this one.
Georgia vs Greece Match Analysis & Odds
Greece have only lost 10 of their 41 matches in the 2020s so far and eight of those losses have come on the road. Meanwhile, Georgia have lost just two of their last ten at home and Greece are responsible for one of those losses. Greece are favorites for this one as well, as the Georgia vs Greece odds list the visitors at a +130 price. Without the vig, that corresponds to a 41.6 percent implied chance of victory.
Georgia have never defeated Greece in nine previous meetings and this is the biggest one of them all. The hosts are +235 underdogs but they did manage to draw at home in group qualifiers vs. Scotland and Norway, who are both ranked higher than Greece in the FIFA World Rankings. Another draw (+220) is certainly feasible in this one but it could be difficult for Georgia to break down the Greek defense.
Kvaratskhelia will feel he can get the better of Greece right back George Baldock, though, and that’ll be a key matchup to watch for. Bettors can also back Georgia pk, +0.5 and Greece pk, -0.5 at -115 odds. The over/under goal total is quite low, at two and the over sits at -120 odds for what should be a highly competitive Path C Final. The winner will be placed in Euro 2024 Group F, with Portugal, Czechia and Turkey.
