Mamardashvili's penalty heroics see Georgia claim a point in Northern Ireland

[p]In a slow start to the game, it took until the 25th minute for the first real chance, when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mcconville-ruairi/raOc7TNb/"]Ruairi McConville[/a]’s header forced a low stop from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mamardashvili-giorgi/lxnsUkIc/"]Giorgi Mamardashvili[/a].[/p][p]Moments later, the visitors broke out for the first time, and a fine save from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/charles-pierce/0bqig2i7/"]Pierce Charles[/a] was required to repel an effort from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/davitashvili-zuriko/fkTUaOi8/"]Zuriko Davitashvili[/a] following neat footwork from the forward in the box. [/p][p]Later on in the half, a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hume-trai/CfLIw4XG/"]Trai Hume[/a] throw was launched into the area, and Mamardashvili had to intervene to deny [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/donley-jamie/6qmNSxbp/"]Jamie Donley[/a]’s hook back across goal. [/p][p]Michael O’Neil’s men continued to shape proceedings as the half wore on, and only a perfectly-timed interception from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dvali-lasha/8CNFcmaa/"]Lasha Dvali[/a] prevented [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kelly-patrick/G2P41HZ2/"]Patrick Kelly[/a]’s cutback from being tapped in by Donley. [/p][p]With the last kick of the half, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/price-isaac/j7NoKdXB/"]Isaac Price[/a] brushed the side netting with a free-kick, meaning the scores remained level at the break.[/p][image alt="Momentum" id="a6f921c0-3465-4e7d-9d30-73b6fab106a4" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="2bcdb32a-4571-4e2f-a8f4-f5023459dfbe" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]New Georgia head coach Ramaz Svanadze attempted to give his side extra impetus with the half-time introduction of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tsitaishvili-giorgi/Qq6pTCV6/"]Giorgi Tsitaishvili[/a]. He almost made an immediate impact with the first chance of the second half, too, but his deflected effort was well handled by Charles in the home goal. [/p][p]Following a considerable lull in proceedings, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/georgia/YVovjspA/"]Georgia[/a]’s star man [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kvaratskhelia-khvicha/bNuGt0hE/"]Khvicha Kvaratskhelia[/a], who had been kept quiet for most of the night, was allowed space to approach the penalty area before fizzing his effort over the bar.[/p][p]This seemed to open up the game somewhat and, after Mamardashvili superbly denied [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/magennis-josh/IXUzpyWo/"]Josh Magennis[/a], the resulting corner led to the game’s biggest moment.[/p][p]McConville’s header came back off the bar but, although the danger appeared to have been cleared during the ensuing scramble, referee Sebastian Gishamer eventually pointed to the spot after a high boot from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lominadze-nodar/n9kDwbwd/"]Nodar Lominadze[/a]. [/p][p][b]Price stepped up to take the penalty, only for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/liverpool/lId4TMwf/"]Liverpool[/a] stopper Mamardashvili to get down and deny the midfielder his 12th international goal[/b][/p][p]Spurred on by a raucous Windsor Park crowd, the hosts continued to push for a winner and, after scoring his first two international goals in Friday’s win over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ukraine/j1JtDMwo/"]Ukraine[/a], the ball fell to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brown-ciaron/4AgLN9pO/"]Ciaron Brown[/a] in the penalty area in the dying moments, yet he rushed his effort and the moment passed.[/p][p]That meant that the Green and White Army played out consecutive goalless draws on home soil in this international window, but will be full of positivity heading into November’s final two games. [/p][p]Georgia, meanwhile, are winless through their first four matches and will hope to pick up results next month to avoid sliding into League C. [/p][p][b]Flashscore Player of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mamardashvili-giorgi/lxnsUkIc/"]Giorgi Mamardashvili[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/georgia/YVovjspA/"]Georgia[/a])[/b][/p][image alt="Match stats" id="f78e7caa-51ca-44da-b16d-4518e52c4236" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="81e349e2-0d88-401c-87bc-efbc2f70a207" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/georgia-YVovjspA/northern-ireland-lQADNSWu/?mid=McQArpFs"]Catch up on the match here.[/a][/b][/p]