Mamardashvili penalty save denies Northern Ireland victory over Georgia

Giorgi Mamardashvili saved a late Isaac Price penalty as Georgia held Northern Ireland to a 0-0 draw at Windsor Park on Monday. The result left Michael O'Neill's team unbeaten and top of Nations League Group B2, but denied them a third victory in four matches after another evening without conceding a goal.

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The decisive chance followed a corner during which Ruairi McConville headed against the crossbar and was kicked in the face. According to the Irish FA's match report, referee Sebastian Gishamer awarded the penalty after a VAR check and booked Georgia substitute Nodar Lominadze. Mamardashvili then stopped Price's low effort to preserve the draw.

The Georgia goalkeeper had also frustrated Jamie Donley and substitute Josh Magennis, PA reported through RTE. At the other end, Pierce Charles saved from Zuriko Davitashvili and Giorgi Tsitaishvili. PA noted that the result gave Northern Ireland four consecutive competitive clean sheets for the first time since 2017, with Charles recording his seventh in nine competitive appearances.

Northern Ireland continued looking for a winner after the penalty save. Ciaron Brown failed to find the target after meeting a Shea Charles free-kick, and the captain later curled a shot wide after advancing past defenders. Georgia won corners in added time, but the home defence kept them out, the Irish FA reported.

BBC Sport reported that the four-game window brought Northern Ireland eight points in 11 days, from away wins over Georgia and Ukraine and goalless home draws against Hungary and Georgia. Before this sequence, they had never won in League B or away from home in any tier of the Nations League. O'Neill used only 15 different starters across the four fixtures.

Northern Ireland now have eight points, ahead of Hungary on seven, Ukraine on four and Georgia on two. Their November schedule brings Ukraine to Belfast before a trip to Budapest to face Hungary, according to the Irish FA. BBC Sport reported that their League B status is already secure, while promotion remains possible with two group matches left.