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Played
September 11, 2012 7:30 PM SAST
Boris Paichadzis Erovnuli Stadioni — Tbilisi
Referee: S. Moen
Attendance: 32000
September 11, 2012 7:30 PM SAST
Boris Paichadzis Erovnuli Stadioni — Tbilisi
Referee: S. Moen
Attendance: 32000
Georgia - Spain Preview: La Roja begin the long road to Brazil with Tbilisi clash
After romping to victory in the Euros, the world and double European champions embark on the quest to defend their World Cup title with an arduous trip to the Caucasus
By Karthick Arvinth
Getty Images
| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
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GEORGIA
 Loria Grigalava, Kashia, Amisulashvili, Khizanishvili Kankava, Daushvili, Okriashvili, Targamadze Ananidze, Mchedlidze |
SPAIN
 Casillas Arbeloa, Pique, Ramos, Alba Xavi, Busquets, Alonso Pedro, Torres, Iniesta |
Georgia coach Temuri Ketsbaia has no injury concerns heading into Tuesday's World Cup qualifier against Spain at the Boris Paichadze Stadium in Tbilisi.
The former Olympiakos boss could name the same team that beat Belarus 1-0 on Friday, with 20-year-old match-winner Tornike Okriashvili likely to reprise his role in midfield.
Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Xavi and Andres Iniesta are all set to return to Spain's starting line-up after being rested for the friendly win over Saudi Arabia.
Chelsea forward Fernando Torres is expected to start again despite David Villa making a scoring return to international football on Friday night.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
- Georgia have won four of their last five matches, with three of those victories coming at home.
- Ranked 86th in the world, the Caucasus nation have never qualified for a World Cup finals tournament before.
- Georgia follow up their match against Spain with World Cup qualifiers away to Finland, Belarus and France, respectively.
- Spain are on a 13-match unbeaten run (W10, D3). Their last defeat was a 1-0 reverse against England in November last year.
- La Roja are bidding to become the first team to win back-to-back World Cups since Brazil (1958, 1962).
- Fernando Torres (pictured right) won his 100th cap for Spain in the win over Saudi Arabia.
Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
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Georgia 1-0 Spain
- 14.25 %
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Georgia 0-3 Spain
- 14.01 %
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Georgia 0-4 Spain
- 14.01 %
| World Cup Qualification 2014 (Europe) (WCQE) | 11 Sep 2012 | Georgia 0 - Spain 1 |
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Georgia
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| 22 Mar 2013 | France 3 - Georgia 1 | WCQE |
| 06 Feb 2013 | Albania 1 - Georgia 2 | FR |
| 14 Nov 2012 | Georgia 0 - Egypt 0 | FR |
| 16 Oct 2012 | Belarus 2 - Georgia 0 | WCQE |
| 12 Oct 2012 | Finland 1 - Georgia 1 | WCQE |
Spain
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| 26 Mar 2013 | France 0 - Spain 1 | WCQE |
| 22 Mar 2013 | Spain 1 - Finland 1 | WCQE |
| 06 Feb 2013 | Spain 3 - Uruguay 1 | FR |
| 14 Nov 2012 | Panama 1 - Spain 5 | FR |
| 16 Oct 2012 | Spain 1 - France 1 | WCQE |
| 12 | Giorgi Loria | Goalkeeper |
| 5 | Alexander Amisulashvili | Defender |
| 16 | Davit Kvirkvelia | Defender |
| 18 | Guram Kashia | Defender |
| 2 | Ucha Lobjanidze | Defender |
| 6 | Zurab Khizanishvili | Midfielder |
| - | David Targamadze | Midfielder |
| 8 | Jaba Kankava | Midfielder |
| 13 | Murtaz Daushvili | Midfielder |
| - | Tornike Okriashvili | Midfielder |
| 11 | Levan Mchedlidze | Striker |
| - | Omar Migineishvili | Goalkeeper |
| - | Roin Kvaskhvadze | Goalkeeper |
| - | Akaki Khubutia | Defender |
| - | Gia Grigalava | Defender |
| - | Giorgi Popkhadze | Defender |
| - | Giorgi Rekhviashvili | |
| - | Irakli Maisuradze | Midfielder |
| 8 | Zhano Ananidze | Midfielder |
| - | Nika Dzalamidze | Midfielder |
| - | Tornike Gorgiashvili | Midfielder |
| - | S. Guruli | Midfielder |
| - | Irakli Shekiladze | Striker |
| - | Iker Casillas | |
| 17 | Arbeloa | Defender |
| 18 | Jordi Alba | Defender |
| 3 | Piqué | Defender |
| 15 | Sergio Ramos | Defender |
| 16 | Busquets | Midfielder |
| 21 | David Silva | Midfielder |
| 6 | Andrés Iniesta Luján | Midfielder |
| 14 | Xabi Alonso | Midfielder |
| 8 | Xavi | Midfielder |
| - | Roberto Soldado | |
| 23 | José Reina Paez | Goalkeeper |
| 12 | Víctor Valdés | Goalkeeper |
| 2 | Raúl Albiol Tortajada | Defender |
| - | Juanfran | |
| - | Monreal | Defender |
| - | Beñat | |
| 20 | Santi Cazorla | Midfielder |
| 10 | Cesc Fàbregas | Midfielder |
| 22 | Jesús Navas González | Midfielder |
| 7 | David Villa | Striker |
| - | Fernando Torres | |
| 7 | Pedro | Striker |
Results
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Final
scheduled
Suspended
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Match News
Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Edin Dzeko Striker Man City |
7 | 0 |
|
Tomer Hemed Striker Mallorca |
6 | 0 |
|
Mesut Özil Midfielder Real |
5 | 2 |
|
Wayne Rooney Striker Man Utd |
5 | 1 |
|
Robin van Persie Striker Man Utd |
5 | 1 |