Latvia national team striker Roberts Uldriķis delivered an impressive performance in the 2. Bundesliga, scoring twice as Arminia Bielefeld secured a 3-2 home victory over Eintracht Braunschweig.
The 27-year-old forward, who recently returned from a long-term knee injury that sidelined him for nearly 11 months, made his first start of the season after appearing off the bench in his first two matches since his comeback, where he registered one assist. This time, Uldriķis was named in the starting lineup and made an immediate impact.
Arminia took the lead in the opening minute when Uldriķis struck from outside the penalty area. The effort appeared routine for the visiting goalkeeper, but a handling error allowed the ball to slip into the net for a 1-0 advantage.
Eintracht Braunschweig responded strongly and turned the match around by scoring twice before the midpoint of the first half to take the lead. However, Arminia equalized in the 31st minute, restoring parity before the break.
Early in the second half, Uldriķis struck again. In the 54th minute, following a corner kick, he rose highest to head the ball into the far corner, making it 3-2 and completing his brace.
The scoreline remained unchanged until full time, as Arminia recorded their first league win since November 8. Uldriķis played 76 minutes in what was his third appearance of the season in the 2. Bundesliga. Across those three matches, he has now contributed two goals and one assist.
With the victory, Arminia Bielefeld climbed several places in the league table and now sit 11th with 24 points from 21 matches. Their next fixture is scheduled for next Sunday, when Uldriķis and his teammates travel to face Magdeburg.
