Defending champions Riga FC recorded their first victory of the Tonybet Virslīga season after defeating BFC Daugavpils 4-2 at Mežaparks Sports Village. Brazilian striker Reginaldo Ramires scored twice for the hosts.
Following the opening-round defeat against FK Liepāja, Riga head coach Adrián Guľa made three changes to the starting lineup. Anthony Contreras was unavailable due to injury, while Karl Wassom and Renārs Varslavāns also dropped out of the eleven. Meissa Diop, Iago Siqueira, and Paulo Eduardo came into the team.
Daugavpils coach Kirils Kurbatovs also made three changes compared to the previous match, handing Ervīns Piņaskins, Maksims Kopilovs, and Ghanaian Elijah Addai their first starts of the season.
Riga FC opened the scoring in the 30th minute after Raivis Skrebels fouled Iago Siqueira inside the penalty area. Reginaldo Ramires stepped up and calmly converted the penalty. Just seven minutes later the hosts doubled their lead, as Orlando Galo found the net following a scramble in the penalty area.
Daugavpils struggled in the first half, prompting a triple substitution at halftime. Among the changes was the return of former club leader William Mukwelle, who scored 17 Virslīga goals for Daugavpils between 2021 and 2023 before spending the last seasons in the Czech Republic.
However, the substitutions did not immediately change the course of the match. In the 47th minute, Raivis Jurkovskis delivered a pass across the goal, and Reginaldo Ramires finished from close range to score his second goal of the match and make it 3-0.
Soon after, the match took an unexpected turn. Daugavpils scored twice within three minutes to put pressure on the champions. First, Mamadou Sylla surprised goalkeeper Krišjānis Zviedris with a powerful strike from a tight angle. Then Ukrainian midfielder Artem Garzha scored his first Virslīga goal in his 17th league appearance, reducing the deficit to 3-2.
Riga briefly looked shaken, but the hosts quickly regained control. Just minutes later, a well-worked team move ended with centre-back Paulo Eduardo scoring his second goal of the season to restore a two-goal advantage.
Daugavpils were unable to mount another comeback, allowing Riga FC to secure their first win of the season, though not without a brief scare from the visitors.
Riga FC vs BFC Daugavpils – 4-2 (2-0)
Goals: Ramires 30′ (Penalty kick) 47′, Galo 37′, Paulo Eduardo 60′ | Sylla 52′, Garzha 55′
Round 19
Grobiņa
FK Auda
Tukums 2000
FK Liepāja
Ogre United| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Riga FC |
19 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 60 | 19 | 41 | 48 |
| 2 | RFS |
18 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 42 | 14 | 28 | 46 |
| 3 | FK Auda |
19 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 36 | 23 | 13 | 38 |
| 4 | FK Liepāja |
19 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 23 | 29 | -6 | 25 |
| 5 | BFC Daugavpils |
19 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 21 | 25 | -4 | 23 |
| 6 | Super Nova |
19 | 6 | 3 | 10 | 19 | 27 | -8 | 21 |
| 7 | FS Jelgava |
19 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 17 | 34 | -17 | 19 |
| 8 | FK Tukums 2000 |
19 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 33 | 36 | -3 | 17 |
| 9 | Grobiņa |
19 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 30 | -18 | 16 |
| 10 | Ogre United |
18 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 16 | 42 | -26 | 7 |
