Georgia get under way with Belarus win

Georgia are straight into their stride in FIFA World Cup qualifying Group I thanks to a 1-0 victory against Belarus.

Neither side looked keen to risk leaving themselves too open at the back so there was little surprise there was only one goal in it. Tornike Okriashvili struck the decisive blow six minutes after half-time, giving Temuri Ketsbaia's team a welcome fillip ahead of the visit of world and European champions Spain to Tbilisi on Tuesday.

Pavel Nekhaychik was the first player to warm the palms of either keeper, with Georgia No1 Giorgi Loria saving at his near post. Loria's opposite number, Sergei Veremko, also did well to preserve his clean sheet throughout the first half in the wake of Jaba Kankava's attack and David Targamadze's blocked shot. Sergei Balanovich, one of two first-half substitutes for Belarus, went closest for the visitors.

Okriashvili made the most of this disruption soon after the interval when he beat three defenders and shot past Veremko from 11 metres. Belarus could have salvaged a point but Loria denied Maksim Bordachev. Next up for Georgi Kondratiev's charges are France in Paris.