MADRID — Substitute Dani Olmo scored with a long-range shot two minutes into second-half stoppage time as Spain came from behind to beat Georgia 2-1 on Sunday in World Cup qualifying.
The win gets Spain back on track in Group B after an opening 1-1 home draw against Greece.
Olmo netted the winner with a right-footed shot from outside the area, with the ball finding the top corner after Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Loria couldn’t swat it away hard enough.
Spain moved to the top of its group with four points, one more than Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s Sweden, which later Sunday visited Kosovo.
Georgia, which lost 1-0 at Sweden on Thursday, stayed last in the group with no points.
Spain coach Luis Enrique revamped the starting lineup from the game against Greece on Thursday, making six changes to the squad. He introduced youngsters Bryan Gil, Pedri González and Pedro Porro from the start but the team continued to struggle.
Sergio Ramos, coming off a long injury layoff, also was dropped from the opener, when he played only in the first half.
The hosts opened the scoring with a low shot from inside the area by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in the 44th minute after the Spain defense failed to contain a nice buildup by the Georgia attack.
Spain improved in the second half and Ferran Torres equalized from close range in the 55th after Jordi Alba’s cross from the left, earning his fifth goal in six starts with the Spanish national team.
Georgia players dropped to the ground in despair when Loria couldn’t stop Olmo’s late strike. That sealed the team’s defeat in front of a limited crowd that was allowed to watch amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Georgia midfielder Levan Shengelia was sent off after Olmo’s goal for a hard foul on Pedri.
On Wednesday, Spain hosts Kosovo and Georgia visits Greece.
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