After Latvia’s 0:1 defeat to North Macedonia in the UEFA Nations C League, Riga FC representatives Eduards Daškevičs and Raivis Andris Jurkovskis shared their thoughts on the match.
E.Daškevičs: “Today’s match was quite challenging against a very strong team. We struggled a bit in the first half – perhaps we could have scored, as we had some good chances, but in the end, it’s 0:1, and that’s disappointing. The opponents were stronger individually; as a team, I think we could have put more pressure on them, but their individual skills made the difference. We managed to stick to the coach’s plan, which was to play very compactly with four midfielders, but in my opinion, the goal we conceded from a set piece was unnecessary. Personally, I could have done more. In the first half, I had a couple of opportunities, but maybe my final pass could have been better. Overall, it was satisfactory, but there’s always room for improvement. Looking ahead to the game against Armenia, our mindset is focused solely on winning. With our fans behind us, we’ll play for victory. Thanks to our supporters for their backing, and let’s hope we can secure a win at home against Armenia.”
R.Jurkovskis: “It’s a shame we lost 0:1. I think we played a very organized defense; they didn’t have many chances, but we conceded a careless goal from a set piece. We definitely could have held on – we had some dangerous attacks in the first half and more in the second. It’s really disappointing to give up such a careless goal. North Macedonia didn’t surprise us; they played the same way as they did in Latvia. We prepared better defensively this time, and I believe we executed the coach’s plan well by focusing on defense and compact play. As for my performance, if the team lost, then clearly it wasn’t enough. There’s no point dwelling on the loss now; we need to head home and win against Armenia to secure our place in the C League. Thanks to everyone who showed up and watched on TV. Once again, thank you, and we hope to see you at the Armenia match!”