20:20 It’s time to sign off after an absorbing contest in Tbilisi. Keep your eyes peeled on this site to see player ratings and comments for the French team today, but for now, au revoir!
21:13 As for the French, they turned in a very disappointing performance today. It seems they underestimated this Georgian side following their routine 3-1 win in the reverse fixture, and the pairing of Giroud and Benzema up front just didn’t work. The latter has now not scored for France for over 20 hours of football, and his place in the team must surely come under serious scrutiny.
21:10 The Georgian tactics (see 19:15) paid off brilliantly for the hosts. The 5 defenders nullified the French attack, and they arguably had the best chance of the game when they struck the post just after half time. Massive credit must go to Temuri Ketsbaia and his side, who take away a well-deserved point from this game.
FULL TIME: Georgia 0-0 France. An absorbing game ends honours even in the Georgian capital. An uninspired France only really began to play in the last 10 minutes, but take nothing away from a brilliantly organised Georgian side, who looked absolutely spent after the match. Unlike France, they gave everything and more.
90+2 mins: CHANCE: Giroud and Sagna denied at the death by Georgian ‘keeper Loria! Brilliant chance to snatch the win, but not taken…
90 mins: 4 minutes added on for injury time.
87 mins: CHANCE: Nasri delivers a pearler, but Koscielny once again misses the taget from a free header just six yards from goal. He had to score!
86 mins: France win a free kick in a great position…
84 mins: CLOSE!: France almost take the lead through their talismanic winger Franc Ribery after some wonderful build-up play, but he shoots straight at Loria in the Georgian goal.
82 mins: CHANCE: Grigalava inexplicably heads towards his own goal, but Koscielny cannot make anything of his chance.
80 mins: LAST 10: France have 10 minutes to find a winner, but in all honesty if they do it would be extremely harsh on a fantastic Georgian side.
78 mins: SUBSTITUTION: Nasri comes on for Guilavogui as Les Bleus go all out for the win.
75 mins: Giroud shoots wide from the edge of the box. France looking devoid of ideas at the moment. Samir Nasri is ready to come on from the bench. Can he provide the spark that France are missing?
71 mins: The Georgian captain, Jaba Kankava, is turning in as good as a defensive performance as I have seen in a while. It seems like there are two of him on the pitch, he is everywhere!
68 mins: CHANCE: The first chance for France for quite a while. A cross from the right leads to pinball in the Georgian penalty box, but Les Bleus can not find that final touch and it is eventually punched clear by goalkeeper Loria.
66 mins: Georgia going head to head with France now, this really is an inspired performance from the minnows. The crowd, as you would expect, are in full voice.
63 mins: SUBSTITUTION: Gignac comes on for Benzema, who has unfortunately had another dismal performance in a French shirt.
59 mins: CHANCE: A brilliant cross from the left wing gives Benzema a free header inside the box, but the Frenchman completely fluffs his lines and it goes out harmlessly for a goal kick.
55 mins: Another dangerous Georgian counter attack sees Gelashvili skipping past a lazy challenge from Evra but shooting straight into Lloris’ hands. The game is opening up a bit now.
50 mins: HITS THE POST: Georgia almost snatch the lead, and really should have done! The Georgians hit the post when it was easier to score after a brilliant close range save from Lloris. France look rattled.
47 mins: France immediately on the front foot, bombarding the Georgian penalty box, but with no result.
KICK OFF: France get us back underway in the Georgian capital. A critical 45 minutes to come for France’s World Cup Qualification.
STAT ATTACK: Possession: Georgia 28%, France 72%. Saves: Loria 1, Lloris 1. France clearly not making enough of their vastly superior possession, with both goalkeepers only having to make 1 save so far.
GROUP I round up: Spain are currently winning in Finland, so this game now holds extra significance for Les Bleus. Anything but victory here would seriously jeopardise their chances of topping the group.
HALF TIME: Georgia 0-0 France. The half ends with Georgia on top. The French are yet to really get going, and Georgia have got their tactics spot on. The partnership of Benzema and Giroud has not worked yet, with both players looking sluggish and lacking inspiration. If France are going to score, it looks certain to come from the European player of the year Franc Ribery.
40 mins: Georgia have a rare period of possession in the French half, but it ends in a horrible cross from the right wing which drifts out harmlessly for a goal kick.
38 mins: Georgia playing a tough, physical game to counter France’s fluid passing. Another foul brings another French free-kick, but with the same end result – a Georgian player clearing the ball.
32 mins: Another dangerous free-kick goes to waste for France. Georgia clearly hanging on, but France have created very few really good chances so far.
29 mins: CLOSE: The ball rebounds from the free kick and France win a corner, from which Ribery has a strong shot blocked by another Georgian defender!
28 mins: France win a free kick in a brilliant position…
20 mins: PENALTY APPEAL: Ribery appeals for a penalty as the ball hits a Georgian defender’s arm inside the penalty box. The arm was far away from the body, but it would have been very harsh – the Georgian could not possibly have avoided it
18 mins: The pace of the game has dropped now, and Georgia are looking more and more comfortable. Ribery looks dangerous as ever, but Benzema and Giroud are yet to click.
12 mins: CLOSE: Ribery almost opens the scoring following a near post shot from the edge of the box. The French fans thought it was in!
10 mins: Brilliant atmosphere in Georgia at the moment, the crowd are deafening today. Could all change with a France goal though…
8 mins: A tense start so far in the Georgian capital. France on top but yet to find the breakthrough. Georgia look dangerous on the counter though.
KICK OFF: We are underway in Georgia, with Olivier Giroud passing a late fitness test on an ankle injury sustained in training earlier.
19:15 Interesting tactics from the Georgians, playing 5 defenders and a lone striker. They will hope to limit France to few chances and try to hit them on the counter
19:10 Lets have a look at the starting line-ups for both sides: FRANCE: Lloris – Sagna, Koscielny, Abidal, Evra – Valbuena, Guilavogui, Sissoko, Ribery – Benzema, Giroud. GEORGIA: Loria – Lobjanidze, Grigalava, Kashia, Amisulashvili, Khubutia – Kobakhidze, Gelashvili, Kankava, Ananidze – Okriashvili
19:00 Welcome everyone! Today, France are looking to cement their place in the top two teams of Group I, with World and European Champions Spain their biggest competitors. They take on a Georgia team who lie 2nd last in the group, with only 4 points from 5 games, in a match which is surely a must-win for Les Bleus.
