On Saturday, in Toulouse, the Portuguese came close to achieving their first victory in the World Cup. The Georgians were able to score the equalizer in the 79th minute (18-18), and wasted the opportunity to convert. Portugal had one last chance to win this match with a penalty kick, but the ball shot by full-back Nuno Souza Guedes went to the left of the goalposts.
Published on:
3 minutes
The Portuguese national team, playing in its second Rugby World Cup, was on the verge of achieving its first victory in this competition against an opponent it knows well, Georgia, but must be satisfied with the draw achieved, Saturday, September 23, in Toulouse. .
The 'Lobos' were caught trying forward by the Georgians in the 78th minute and then missed the winning kick a few moments later in the last second.
This was the sixth match in the World Cup for Portugal, which lost the previous five matches, in 2007 during its first participation and last week against Wales (28-8).
Read alsoFind all results and rankings for the World Cup
The two teams, who know each other well, having met 25 times since 1997, were unable to decide in an exhilarating match that presented their best chance of victory in a Group C dominated by Wales, Australia and Fiji.
Portugal narrowly failed to achieve the cup that its entire group, led by French coach Patrice Lajesquet, dreamed of, confirming the great progress the team had achieved, which it had already hinted at against Wales. But the kick taken by full-back Nuno Souza Guedes, from a penalty kick awarded before the siren sounded, went slightly to the left of the Georgian poles.
Two attempts from winger Rafael Storti
Until then, each team had its own half. Georgia's 'Lelos' won the first period thanks to a dominant set-up in conquest and the brilliant pulse of their spinner David Niniashvili, who plays in the top 14 for LOU Rugby. Which allowed them to logically take the lead, leading to a 13-0 run at the hour mark.
But Lajesque's men, buoyed by a stadium fully committed to their cause, never gave up, despite the yellow card to their post by Fernandes. They were able to accelerate after returning from the locker room, as their winger Rafael Storti made his second attempt of the afternoon, allowing them to take the lead (18-13) at the hour mark.
Read alsoRugby: Patrice Laguesquet managed to collect the Portuguese Wolves
The 'Lobos' then stifled their opponent and appeared to have their hands on the game once and for all before a powerful effort from the Georgian set (awarded to hooker Zamtaradze) two minutes before the siren sounded, bringing both teams back to level terms, a result which would have been final after a failed Souza Guedes.
There is no doubt that the Portuguese will find it difficult to console themselves for being so close to victory, but despite this, they gave their best performance in the world championship. Their best World Cup performance to date was a narrow defeat to Romania (14-10) in 2007.
With Agence France-Presse
