Zelenkovs scores his first in the national team shirt, Latvia can’t hold on to lead against Andorra

It was supposed to be a statement performance, a chance to build momentum, and finally turn the page. Instead, the Latvian national team saw a hard-earned lead evaporate late on as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Andorra in a tense FIFA World Cup qualification clash at BTA Daugava Stadium.

Manager Paolo Nicolato, who had hinted at major tactical shifts during his pre-match press conference, ultimately stuck with his familiar 5-3-2 setup. The only shake-up came up front, where Vladislavs Gutkovskis partnered Dario Šits, while star midfielder Jānis Ikaunieks surprisingly started on the bench.

From the opening whistle, the match lacked spark. Andorra wasted time whenever they could, slowing the tempo, while Latvia struggled to break through. The action was limited and largely bogged down in midfield.

Then, in the 33rd minute, came the first sting. Against the run of play, a rare Andorran counterattack saw Berto Rosas thread a clever ball to veteran defender Moises San Nicolas, who slipped in behind Latvia’s back line and calmly finished. It was his first international goal in his 93rd appearance, putting Andorra up 1-0.

That goal served as a wake-up call for the hosts. Eight minutes later, a scrappy corner saw the ball cleared only as far as Dmitrijs Zelenkovs, stationed outside the box. With composure and power, the midfielder unleashed a thunderbolt, firing home his first goal in the national team shirt to level the score at 1-1 before halftime.

Nicolato didn’t wait long to shake things up. Three substitutions at the break saw Lūkass Vapne, Ikaunieks, and debutant Roberts Veips enter the fray, giving the attack a much-needed spark.

Just minutes into the second half, Latvia struck again. Zelenkovs threaded a sharp through ball to Gutkovskis on the left wing, who cut inside and was brought down in the box. The referee pointed to the spot. Gutkovskis stepped up and buried the penalty with ice-cold precision, notching his 12th international goal – and his first in over three years. For the first time under Nicolato, Latvia had scored twice in a single match.

Latvia pressed for a third. Gutkovskis and Vapne both went close, and Gutkovskis even thought he had doubled his tally, but a razor-thin VAR decision ruled him offside.

And then, the sucker punch. In the 78th minute, a lapse in marking on an Andorran set piece allowed Ian Olivera to ghost into space. His header squirmed through the legs of goalkeeper Ernests Zviedris and into the net. 2-2.

A late debut for Ingars Pūlis added fresh legs but couldn’t change the result. Latvia, despite showing flashes of progress and scoring twice for the first time in Nicolato’s tenure, had to settle for just a point.

As the final whistle blew, frustration hung in the Riga night air. Latvia had led, created chances, and still let victory slip away. With a daunting clash against England national football team looming on Tuesday, this felt like an opportunity lost.

Latvia vs Andorra – 2:2 (1:1)
Goals: Zelenkovs 41’, Gutkovskis 55’ | Nicolas 33’, Oliveira 78’
LAT: Zviedris, Savaļnieks (Dašķevičs 87’), Jurkovskis (Veips 46’), Černomordijs, Balodis, Cigaņiks, Zelenkovs (Pūlis 87’), Saveļjevs (Vapne 46’), Varslavāns, Gutkovskis, Šits (J.Ikaunieks 46’)