Northern Ireland stay top of Nations League group despite late penalty miss

Isaac Price had an 84th-minute penalty saved by Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili as Northern Ireland were held to a goalless draw by Georgia on Monday night.

The result however keeps Michael O'Neill's side one point above Hungary at the top of Nations League Group B2 going into next month's final two games.

Northern Ireland also remain the only team yet to concede in the Nations League so far after recording a fourth straight clean sheet.

The home side would have been frustrated not to be ahead at half-time.

Like in their previous games, Northern Ireland started brightly and were always the team which looked more like scoring early on.

Captain Shea Charles caught the eye once again - in customary fashion driving forward from midfield at every opportunity - and joined in doing so by his returning partner Ethan Galbraith.

Seven days earlier during the draw with Hungary, Charles' crunching tackle on Liverpool star Dominik Szoboszlai was greeted by huge cheers inside Windsor Park and this time, it was Ballon d'Or nominee Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on the end of similar treatment from the Northern Ireland skipper.

Midway through the half, Ruairi McConville met Justin Devenny's cross but saw his header header pushed away by Mamardashvili before Pierce Charles was called into action for the first time a few minutes later to deny Zuriko Davitashvili.

Jamie Donley's improvised turn and strike 10 minutes shy of half-time required the attention of Mamardashvili and the Georgian shot stopper might have been called on again soon after had Patrick Kelly opted to shoot rather than look to pick out Donley.

Northern Ireland lacked the same control after the break which they enjoyed in the first 45 minutes.

A deflected effort early in the second half from Georgia substitute Giorgi Tsitaishviki was well gathered by Pierce Charles and Kvaratskhelia later fired over as the visitors began to grow in the contest.

The final 10 minutes were frantic and the Windsor Park volume rose several notches with Northern Ireland going in search of a winner.

Josh Magennis forced a crucial save from Mamardashvili after Shea Charles won possession on the edge of the area and from the resulting corner, Ruairi McConville emerged from a crowd of bodies to head against the crossbar before the visitors scrambled clear.

Referee Sebastian Gishamer was sent to the VAR screen to review the incident and pointed to the penalty spot after identifying a foul on McConville by Nodar Lominadze.

But Mamardashvili guessed correctly to thwart Isaac Price from 12 yards and for the second time in a week it ended in stalemate in Belfast.

Northern Ireland: P Charles; Atcheson (McNair 86), McConville, Brown; Hume, S Charles (C), Galbraith (Spencer 64), Devenny; Kelly (Morrison 74), Price (Marshall 86); Donley (Magennis 74).

Subs not used: Hazard, Peacock-Farrell, Devlin, Toal, Thompson, O'Neill, Smyth.

Georgia: Marmadashvili; Sazonov, Dvali, Lochoshvili; Kakabadze, Mekvabishvili (Lominadze 65), Kochorashvili (Tsitaishvili 46), Mamageishvili (Egoyan 74); Davitashvili (Chakvetadze 65); Zivzivadze (Mikautadze 86), Kvaratshkhelia (C).

Subs not used: Kereselidze, Gugeshashvili, Goglichidze, Kharebashvili, Gagua, Kvernadze, Lobjanidze.

Booked: Kochorashvili, Lominadze, Yegoian, Tsitaishvili.

Referee: Sebastian Gishamer (Austria)

Attendance: 18,140

Man of the Match: Giorgi Mamardashvili

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