Northern Ireland produced one of the most dramatic finishes in recent memory, snatching a last-gasp victory away to Georgia in their Nations League encounter after Shea Charles struck deep into stoppage time to settle the contest.
The match appeared destined to end without a decisive breakthrough as the clock ticked past the standard allotment of stoppage time. However, in scenes that will live long in the memory of the travelling supporters, Charles found the net in the 99th minute to hand Northern Ireland all three points in a fixture that had swung one way and then another before the decisive moment arrived.
Georgia had the opportunity to take the lead themselves during the contest when they were awarded a penalty, with star forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia stepping up to take the spot-kick. The Napoli winger, who has established himself as one of the most dangerous attacking talents in European football, saw his effort go begging, missing the chance to put the hosts ahead. That miss proved enormously costly for Georgia, who were left to rue the missed opportunity once Charles struck at the death.
The late winner will be seen as a significant psychological boost for Northern Ireland, who managed to hold their nerve in a game that stretched deep into added time. Snatching victory in such fashion, particularly on the road, represents the kind of result that can galvanise a squad and provide momentum heading into subsequent fixtures in the competition.
For Georgia, the outcome will sting given the missed penalty and the manner in which victory slipped away so late in the encounter. Kvaratskhelia's failure from the spot will inevitably draw scrutiny, though he remains a player capable of turning matches on their head given his quality on the ball.
Northern Ireland's ability to find a winner in such a dramatic fashion, well beyond the ninety-minute mark, speaks to the character shown by the squad in pushing until the very last kick of the game. Rather than settling for a share of the spoils, the team continued to press for a winning goal, and their persistence was ultimately rewarded through Charles' intervention.
The result will be a welcome one for Northern Ireland as they continue their campaign in the Nations League, with performances such as this potentially proving pivotal come the conclusion of the group stage. Coming from behind or salvaging a result from a tense affair away from home is never straightforward, and doing so in the manner witnessed here adds an extra layer of significance to the three points collected.
Attention will now turn to how both sides respond in their upcoming fixtures. Northern Ireland will look to build on the momentum generated by such a memorable late winner, while Georgia will need to regroup following a result that got away from them despite having chances of their own to make the breakthrough, including the missed penalty from Kvaratskhelia.
The drama of the finish underlined just how unpredictable and compelling Nations League fixtures can be, with matches often decided in the final moments rather than settled comfortably before the whistle. For Northern Ireland, Charles' name will be etched into this particular chapter of the campaign following his crucial contribution deep into stoppage time.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.