The Latvian national team began their 2026 World Cup qualifying tournament with a 1-0 win against Andorra, thanks to a winning goal from substitute Dario Šits. Goalkeeper Krišjānis Zviedris, who made his national team debut, kept a clean sheet.
Prior to the match, head coach Paolo Nicolato made a significant decision by giving Krišjānis Zviedris his debut in goal for the national team. 22-year-old Deniss Meļņiks was also granted a starting position for the first time with the senior team. Additionally, Raivis Andris Jurkovskis made his 50th appearance for Latvia in this match.
The Latvian team struggled to start the match by creating offensive opportunities. They found it difficult to penetrate the opponent’s penalty area, and their long passes and attempts to play between the lines did not yield results. On the other hand, goalkeeper Zviedris confidently handled several plays, but Latvia’s first scoring opportunity came in the 17th minute when Andrejs Ciganikas had his shot blocked.
As expected, Andorra maintained a deep defensive formation, making it challenging for the Latvians to break through. However, they found an answer to Andorra’s tactics in the 31st minute when Vladislavs Gutkovskis threatened the goal during a quick counter-attack.
Latvia earned their first set piece near Andorra’s goal in the 39th minute, but several of Roberts Savaļnieks’ crosses failed to reach their target. His direct free kick at the end of the half was also off the mark, while Andorra managed a long shot that missed just above the goal.
The Latvian team began the second half by switching to a formation with two strikers, bringing Dario Šits onto the field to replace Deniss Meļņiks. Šits quickly made an impact, first receiving a yellow card, and then scoring in the 58th minute. Latvia earned their first corner kick, which resulted in Šits winning a position in front of the goal and scoring his second goal for the national team.
Despite taking the lead, the Latvian team struggled to maintain pressure on the field that looked like Liepājas Daugava Stadium in the autumn. The match remained tense, with few scoring chances. In the 73rd minute, Zviedris made a crucial stop.
In a nervous match played under rainy conditions, the Latvian team focused on holding their lead. Andorra made one last push, almost equalizing in the 89th minute, but Zviedris was positioned perfectly to keep the ball out.
This victory marked Latvia’s third win in their last five away games against Andorra. Previously, in 2016, Valērijs Šabala scored the only goal in a 1-0 victory, and in 2020, Latvia won decisively in the Nations League with a score of 5-0.
Up next, the Latvian national team will face England at Wembley Stadium on Monday. This match will be their first encounter in history. In their opening game of the World Cup qualifying campaign, England defeated Albania 2-0.
Andorra vs Latvia – 0:1 (0:0)
Goals: Šits 58′
Yellow Card: Šits 50′ Černomordijs 80′
LAT: Zviedris – Balodis, Černomordijs, Jurkovskis – Savaļnieks (Jaunzems 78′), Saveļjevs, Meļņiks (Šits 46′), Zeļenkovs, Cigaņiks (Jagodinskis 90′) – Ikaunieks, Gutkovskis (Krollis 74′)
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