Latvia began their new UEFA Nations League C campaign with a disappointing 0-2 defeat against Armenia in Yerevan, offering little attacking threat despite five players making their senior international debuts.
Paolo Nicolato made several notable selections, with the long-awaited debut of Denniss Cirkins, who started on the left of a three-man central defence. There was also a surprise first start for 20-year-old Markuss Strods, while Rihards Matrevics returned in goal for his first Latvia appearance since starting both Nations League play-off matches against Gibraltar in March.
Armenia produced the first dangerous moment after ten minutes when Raivis Jurkovskis was caught out by a ball played in behind him. Nair Tiknizyan then forced Matrevics into his first save four minutes later, sending an effort from a tight angle towards the near top corner.
Latvia’s first promising attack arrived in the 20th minute. Eduards Dašķevičs delivered from the right towards Jurkovskis, whose clever backheel found Vladislavs Gutkovskis, but the striker sent his effort over the crossbar.
Matrevics was called upon again in the 31st minute, producing a strong diving save to keep out a long-range attempt. However, Armenia scored from the resulting corner a minute later. Antonijs Černomordijs lost his marker and Georgii Arutiunian took advantage to open the scoring.
The goal gave Armenia further momentum as the hosts, encouraged by the home crowd, continued to attack a passive Latvian side sitting in a low block. Several efforts followed before half-time, although Armenia were unable to extend their advantage.
Latvia initially struggled to escape their own half after the restart as Armenia pressed aggressively. Nicolato’s side eventually worked their way through that pressure, and in the 55th minute Dmitrijs Zelenkovs finally registered Latvia’s first shot on target with a powerful effort from distance that required a save from the Armenian goalkeeper.
Nicolato turned to his bench in an attempt to change the match, introducing Roberts Uldriķis to play alongside Gutkovskis, while Oskars Vientiess became another player to make his senior international debut.
Any hopes of a comeback were effectively ended in the 75th minute. Zhirayr Shaghoyan drove in from the left and beat substitute Maksims Toņiševs before finding debutant Artur Garibyan inside the penalty area. Despite Latvia having numbers around him, Garibyan was allowed to turn and finish to make it 2-0.
There were two more Latvia debuts late on, with Alberts Aleksanjans, who has Armenian roots, and Danila Patijčuks entering in the 86th minute. Together with Cirkins, Strods and Vientiess, that took the number of Latvia debutants on the night to five.
Cirkins came closest to giving Latvia something to take from the match in stoppage time. Following a corner, the Queens Park Rangers defender found space on the edge of the penalty area and saw his deflected strike crash against the crossbar.
There was no way back, however, as Latvia opened their Nations League campaign with a toothless 0-2 defeat in Yerevan. Nicolato’s side will look for their first points of the campaign on Monday when they host Cyprus.
