Nations League | Playoffs B/C | 1st Leg

Mar 20, 2025 at 5pm UK

Vazgen Sargsyan anvan Hanrapetakan Marzadasht

Armenia vs Georgia

Match preview

Armenia qualified for the play-offs after finishing second in Group C4, well behind eventual winners North Macedonia. Indeed, North Macedonia won the group by nine points, more than any other team in the group.

Despite Blagoja Milevski's side dominating the group, Armenia finished second with seven points from six games.

Former head coach Oleksandr Petrakov was sacked in October after two defeats in their opening four Nations League matches.

Suren Chakhalyan took over for the final two matches of the group stage and, despite a defeat to the Faroe Islands, a win over Latvia in their final group game was enough to book their place in the promotion play-offs.

If Armenia are to improve under their new boss, they will need to perform better at home, where the Havakakan have won just three of their last 12 matches.

Goalscoring has also been a problem for the hosts throughout the group, with Armenia failing to score in half of their matches and being outscored nine to eight by their opponents, with six of their goals coming in two games against Latvia.

The visitors, on the other hand, got off to a flying start in the Nations League with a 4-1 win over the Czech Republic, followed by a 1-0 away win over Albania to open their group.

However, three defeats in their last four matches have left Willy Sagnol's side in third place in Group B1, only above bottom side Albania on goal difference.

Although they can count themselves lucky to be in a survival play-off, Georgia may also feel unlucky not to be in a promotion play-off at the same time.

The Georgians finished just one point behind Ukraine in one of the most competitive groups in the Nations League.

Last year was certainly a year of progress for the Georgian national team as they surpassed all expectations by finishing third in their group at Euro 2024, beating 2016 winners Portugal in Group F of the tournament.

They were beaten by eventual winners Spain in the knockout stages, but did not disgrace themselves in their first major tournament.

Having proved that they can compete with some of the big boys in Europe, Georgia will now focus on staying in League B of the Nations League.

Historically, the visitors have had the better of the meetings between the two sides, but they have not beaten Armenia since a 2-1 triumph in a friendly between the two nations in February 2011.

The two countries met in the Nations League in 2020, with Georgia holding Armenia to a 2-2 draw before the Armenians claimed a 2-1 victory in the return fixture a month later.

Sagnol's side have come a long way in the five years since, but Armenia will be hoping to build on their advantage ahead of this weekend's play-off return leg.

Recent Performance

Armenia Nations League form:WLDLLW

Georgia Nations League form:WWLLDL

Team News

Armenia will be without Eduard Spertsyan, Hovhannes Harutyunyan and Norberto Briasco due to injury. Lucas Zelarayan is also unavailable for the hosts due to family commitments. FC Urartu striker Nicholas Kaloukian could earn his first cap for Armenia after receiving his first senior call-up.

Meanwhile, Sagnol could hand a first cap to Luka Latsabidze, who has only represented Georgia at youth level.

Elsewhere, Guram Kashia and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia have been suspended for the game due to accumulating yellow cards throughout the tournament.

Possible starting lineup

Armenia possible starting lineup:

Cancarevic; Tiknizyan, Muradyan, Haroyan, Hovhannisyan; Manvelyan, Udo, Iwu; Bichakhchyan, Ranos, Serobyan

Georgia possible starting lineup:

Mamardashvili; Lochoshvili, Dvali, Kashia, Goglichidze, Kakabadze; Kochorashvili, Kiteishvili, Chakvetadze; Mikautadze, Zivzivadze