Preview: Poland Under-21 vs Georgia Under-21 - prediction, team news, lineups

The two outsiders looking to cause a stir in Group C will hope to make a fast start in Zilina on Wednesday, when Poland and Georgia face off at the Under-21 European Championship.

With France and Portugal in the same group, both nations look to be up against it, but both are here on merit, and can compete.

Match preview

After taking 22 points from 10 games in their qualifying group, Poland were slightly unfortunate to miss out on topping the section behind Germany, but they were still rewarded with a direct spot at the finals courtesy of being one of the best runners-up.

This is just the second time they have navigated qualifying in three decades, after doing so in 2019, two years after playing at the finals as the hosts in 2017.

Manager Adam Majewski will now be looking to guide them through the groups after early elimination in both of those finals, mirroring the senior squad, who have also been disappointing at major tournaments in recent years.

Poland’s results in qualifying were very impressive, beating 2023 semi-finalists Israel away from home, as well as also taking three points in Bulgaria, Kosovo and Estonia, but this will be a significant step up.

The two nations have met at this age group on four previous occasions, with Poland winning all of them and scoring 14 goals in the process, but Georgia are a much-improved nation now, shown by the success their senior team has enjoyed.

After the senior squad reached a first ever major tournament at Euro 2024, Georgia have followed up after hosting the 2023 Under-21 Euros by qualifying for this edition.

Ramaz Svanadze’s side stunned Croatia in the playoffs, winning on penalties to qualify, despite being the lowest-ranked runners-up across qualifying.

Georgia were incredibly efficient, scoring just 14 goals in their 10 qualifiers, but taking a very handy 19 points, which saw them finish above Sweden and claim second.

It is no fluke though, as Georgia won a group including Portugal, Holland and Belgium in 2023, beating the former in their group opener, and they will hope to repeat the feat when they meet on matchday three next Tuesday.

Poland Under-21 form (all competitions):

W W D L D W

Georgia Under-21 form (all competitions):

W W L W W L

Team News

For a modest nation, Poland have a promising squad for these finals, with Majewski facing a dilemma in goal, because both Kacper Tobiasz (Legia Warsaw) and Slawomir Abramowicz (Jagiellonia) reached the quarter-finals of the Conference League this season, providing them with plenty of European experience.

Kacper Kozlowski is the most well-known name in the squad, as he made six senior caps as a 17-year-old, but he is working his way back up after a failed spell at Brighton & Hove Albion, and he should be the side’s key player.

Speedy full-back Arkadiusz Pyrka is one to keep an eye on, as the former Piast Gliwice man had been in excellent form before being banished for stating his intent to leave, and he will join St Pauli in the Bundesliga next season.

Despite suffering relegation from Serie A with Empoli this season, Georgia’s Saba Sazonov is set to be a key player for Svanadze’s side at this tournament, but his club team mate Saba Goglichidze has pulled out with injury.

Irakli Azarovi has been a regular at Shakhtar Donetsk recently and already has 18 senior caps, but the competition in the Georgia squad means he has to settle for a place in the under-21s for now, after missing out on Euro 2024.

Luka Latsabidze has played a starring role for the under-21s of late, and he won a senior call-up in March, but injury will keep the defender sidelined for this tournament

Poland Under-21 possible starting lineup:

Tobiasz; Marczuk, Peda, Mosor, Bejger, Pyrka; Legowski, Kozlowski, Kaluzinski, Fornalczyk; Szymczak

Georgia Under-21 possible starting lineup:

Kharatishvili; Maisuradze, Sazonov, Khvadagiani, Azarovi; Mamageishvili, Sigua, Yegoian; Bedoshvili, Gordeziani, Kvernadze

We say: Poland U21 2-1 Georgia U21

This could be an exciting game between two nations who know they both need to win, before facing the two heavyweights in the section.

Georgia were pragmatic during qualifying, but were impressive away to Croatia in the playoffs, scoring twice to force penalties, but they may just be edged out by a Poland team that have plenty of offensive threat too, scoring three or more goals in five of their last six matches.

Written by
Andrew Delaney

Previews by email