Northern Ireland remain top of Nations League Group B2 after Giorgi Mamardashvili saved Isaac Price’s late penalty to secure Georgia a goalless draw at Windsor Park.
The Liverpool goalkeeper went the right way to keep out Price’s 84th-minute spot-kick after Ruairi McConville was caught by Nodar Lominadze and Saba Sazonov while challenging for a header that had struck the crossbar.
Jamie Donley and Josh Magennis also tested Mamardashvili, but Northern Ireland were held to a second successive 0-0 draw at home within a week.
Their point leaves Michael O’Neill’s side one point clear of Hungary at the top of Group B2. They began the match as the only team yet to concede in this season’s Nations League, and Pierce Charles made important saves from Zuriko Davitashvili and Giorgi Tsitaishvili to preserve that record.
It was the 21-year-old goalkeeper’s seventh clean sheet in nine competitive appearances and Northern Ireland’s fourth consecutive shut-out in competitive football, their best run since 2017.
Georgia, who have still not scored in this season’s Nations League, dismissed Willy Sagnol after their 1-0 defeat by Northern Ireland in Tbilisi 11 days ago. However, Ramaz Svanadze is still waiting for his first victory as manager, despite flashes of quality from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia after the interval.
Northern Ireland made the more positive start but faced a Georgia team determined to protect its penalty area. McConville produced the first effort on target when he met Justin Devenny’s cross, although his header was pushed away by Mamardashvili.
The visitors created the clearest opportunity of the opening period when Davitashvili escaped his marker and struck powerfully, forcing an excellent save from Charles. Donley then nearly caught Mamardashvili out after Trai Hume’s long throw bounced inside the area, with the forward’s improvised attempt looping towards goal.
Patrick Kelly later drove into the box but chose to cross towards Donley, allowing Georgia to intercept. Tom Atcheson was unhappy after being penalised in a challenge with Sazonov, although the decision stood following a VAR review.
Northern Ireland were less fluent after half-time, while Ethan Galbraith’s return to the side ended shortly after the hour mark when he limped off. Galbraith had arrived back in the team after welcoming a baby boy.
Georgia began to threaten more frequently, with Charles gathering a deflected Tsitaishvili effort before Kvaratskhelia fired over.
The decisive drama came late on. Shea Charles won possession outside the box and the ball reached Magennis, whose shot was saved by Mamardashvili. From the resulting corner, McConville rose to meet the delivery but was struck in the face by Lominadze and pushed by Sazonov. Austrian referee Sebastian Gishamer awarded a penalty after consulting the pitchside monitor.
Price, who scored his first goal in 10 internationals against Ukraine on Friday, took responsibility, but Mamardashvili made a comfortable save.
Georgia then appealed unsuccessfully for a penalty in stoppage time when Callum Marshall collided with Sazonov near the corner of the Northern Ireland box.
