Latvian league leaders Riga FC secured a first-leg 2:1 victory over Georgian runners-up Dila Gori in the UEFA Conference League qualifiers. However, a late conceded goal left a bitter aftertaste, casting a shadow over what could have been a much more comfortable advantage heading into the return leg in Georgia.
After the match, Raivis Jurkovskis, Riga’s left-back, spoke to Sportacentrs.com journalist Agris Suveizda, reflecting on the mixed emotions.
“Now, about half an hour after the match, I’m feeling more positive about the win. But right after the final whistle, I felt more negative because we conceded late — we could have won 3:0 or even 4:0 and traveled to Georgia with a bigger cushion. The match should have ended with at least a three-goal margin.”
When asked about a missed chance by teammate Galo, Jurkovskis added:
“We haven’t discussed it yet. Right now, we’re focusing on the upcoming match against Metta, and only then we’ll start preparing for the return leg. I don’t think anyone will blame him — it’s not like he missed on purpose.”
Despite scoring only in added time of the first half, Riga FC dominated early on. The second half, however, saw a shift in momentum as Dila Gori grew into the match, creating more attacking opportunities and drawing multiple set pieces. Eventually, the visitors pulled one back from a dead-ball situation.
“From what I saw, the ball flew over me. I’m not sure if I could have intercepted it. It was played to the far post, Zviedris saved the first attempt, but the rebound unfortunately hit Ngom’s legs and went in,” explained Jurkovskis.
The match saw numerous fouls, something Jurkovskis attributed to the referee’s strict control.
“Hard to say why there were so many minor fouls. But the referee wanted control. We were warned before that this Scottish referee usually gives 4-5 yellow cards — and that’s exactly how many he handed out. Dila also took more risks after going down 0:1. At 0:0, they were time-wasting — the ref even booked their goalkeeper. Later, they committed more players forward and attacked in counters. Maybe we ourselves got a bit too focused on just protecting the lead.”
Despite the narrow win, Jurkovskis praised the Georgian side’s quality:
“They’re a good team. They like to play transition football, breaking quickly on counters, but they don’t enjoy defending deep. Georgian players are typically technical, so they aim to play attractive football.”
One of Riga’s standout players on the night was Joao Grimaldo, the Peruvian winger whose dribbling and creativity tormented Dila’s back line.
“At the beginning of the season, he didn’t play much — even when not injured. I think he needed to adjust mentally, understand where he had come. He probably thought this league would be easy. Now, on natural grass pitches, we see his true level. If he wants to, he works hard at both ends. You’ve seen how good he is with the ball, but he also tracks back in defense. He’s very coachable and committed – if his full-back overlaps, he follows him. His English? He doesn’t speak it.”
Jurkovskis also spoke about the rotating options on Riga’s left flank. He started the match with Grimaldo, then played briefly alongside Meissa Diop, Gauthier Mankenda, with Brian Peña and Eduards Daškevičs also available.
“For my playing style, it’s best to pair with a technical player who tends to cut inside — like Grimaldo or Brian. Then I can overlap down the flank. But I can adapt. With Eduards, for instance, I’ll let him take on the defender and cut inside on his left to cross.”
In the past nine years, Dila Gori has hosted seven home matches in European competition, winning five — including victories over clubs from Slovakia, Denmark, and Croatia
“I don’t really know their past results. I only know that our coach once lost to them with his previous team. But we’re going there to win — there’s no point sitting back, that never ends well.”
Jurkovskis hinted that the Riga coaching staff is aware of Dila’s off-the-pitch gamesmanship:
“The coach didn’t talk much about his past with them, but he did warn us they play dirty, waste time, and even had the lights go out at their stadium last time — they try to get into your head using things outside football.”
Riga FC will now turn their attention to local competition before heading to Georgia next week, where they’ll aim to finish the job and secure their spot in the next round of the Conference League qualifiers.
Source: https://sportacentrs.com/futbols/eirokausi_fut/25072025-jurkovskis_vajadzeja_uzvaret_ar_vismaz_tr
