Late penalty seals Riga FC win over FK Liepāja

The 23rd round of the TonyBet Virslīga kicked off with a thrilling encounter between FK Liepāja and league leaders Riga FC, ending in a dramatic 3–2 victory for the visitors. Despite taking the lead once and managing to equalize, Liepāja ultimately fell short after a last-minute penalty from Abdulrahman Taiwo secured all three points for Riga.

Liepāja returned to league action after a two-week break, during which they defeated second-tier side JFK Ventspils 2–0 in the Latvian Cup to reach the quarterfinals. Head coach Andreas Alm made several changes from the team that lost 1–2 to RFS in their previous league outing. Injuries sidelined Vjačeslavs Isajevs and Moustapha Diaw, while debutant Edvinas Girdvainis and top scorer Djibril Gueye came into the starting XI. Bruno Melnis and Marin Lausic also returned to the lineup.

Riga FC boss Adrián Guľa made his own adjustments, with key players Reginaldo Ramírez and Orlando Galo returning to action after recovering from injuries and international duty. Their presence was particularly valuable ahead of upcoming European matches.

The charity-themed match started brightly for the home side. In the 6th minute, Amadou Traoré fired a shot from a tight angle that goalkeeper Krišjānis Zviedris couldn’t handle cleanly, spilling the ball right in front of goal. Kyvon Leidsman was quickest to react and tapped it into the empty net to give FK Liepāja an early lead.

Riga FC, perhaps still shaken from the draw in their previous league match that ended their 15-game winning streak, looked disjointed and unsure in the early stages, gesturing instead of combining effectively. Liepāja tried to capitalize but couldn’t create clear chances.

Gradually, however, Riga found their rhythm. In the 20th minute, Iago Siqueira delivered a cross into the box, and an unfortunate touch from Liepāja defender Anto Babic deflected the ball into his own net, leveling the score at 1–1.

After conceding, Liepāja lost their structure, and Riga seized full control, pushing forward with increasingly dangerous attacks. In the 28th minute, after a high press, Sorokins won the ball off Grimaldo, who managed to break into the box and fire a shot from a tight angle, but goalkeeper Danijel Petković made a crucial save.

Just before halftime, Riga’s pressure paid off again. Siqueira played a perfect through-ball to Joao Grimaldo, who went one-on-one with the goalkeeper and chipped it delicately past him. The ball kissed the post on its way in, giving Riga a 2–1 lead at the break — a tough blow for Liepāja after their strong start.

The second half continued in similar fashion, with Riga dominating possession but without creating many clear chances. That changed when Amadou Traoré broke into the box and was brought down. Despite protests from Riga FC players, the referee pointed to the spot. Kyvon Leidsman calmly converted the penalty for his second goal of the night, making it 2–2.

As time ticked down, Riga pushed forward for a winner while Liepāja managed the ball well in spells. But in the 89th minute, substitute Anthony Contreras made a dazzling move into the box and was fouled by Babic — once again at the center of a costly defensive error. Another substitute, Abdulrahman Taiwo, stepped up and confidently slotted home the penalty to make it 3–2.

Riga FC’s victory restores their six-point lead over second-placed RFS and further strengthens their grip on the title race. For FK Liepāja, the result is a missed opportunity — surrendering a lead and a late equalizer means they remain in fourth place, just outside the top three.

FK Liepāja vs Riga FC – 2:3 (1:2)
Goals: Leidsman 2′, 66′ (Penalty kick) | Babic 12′ (Own goal), Grimaldo 42′, Taiwo 89′ (Penalty kick)
LIE: Petkovic, Sorokins, Girdvainis, Babic, Iļjins, Gueye (Dodo 75′), Korobenko, Lausic (Ogunniyi 62′), Traore (Patijčuks 87′), Leidsman (Oloko 75′), Melnis (Saveļjevs 62′)
RIG: Zviedris, Toņiševs (Birka 77′), Ngom, Musah, Jurkovskis, Ankrah, Siqueira, Diop (Pena 84′), Grimaldo (Contreras 84′), Galo (Mankenda 77′), Ramires (Taiwo 77′)

Virslīga Matchday 23 games:

• 19.07.2025 – FK Liepāja vs Riga FC – 2:3
• 19.06.2025 – FK Metta vs FC RFS – 18:00
• 20.07.2025 – FK Auda vs BFC Daugavpils – 15:00
• 20.07.2025 – FS Jelgava vs SK Super Nova – 17:00
• 21.07.2025 – FK Tukums 2000 vs FK Grobiņa – 18:00