Latvia’s national team boss Paolo Nicolato expressed satisfaction with his squad’s performance in Tuesday’s hard-fought 1–1 draw against Albania in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.
“I’m pleased with how we played,” Nicolato told reporters after the match, choosing not to dwell on the missed penalty by midfielder Jānis Ikaunieks. “Sure, the game might have taken a different turn had we converted that spot-kick—but overall, we created solid chances.”
Ikaunieks, who had the opportunity to give Latvia the lead from the spot, was backed by the coach despite the miss. “Sometimes these things happen,” Nicolato said. “His performance was strong today. I don’t judge players by their mistakes—I assess them based on their overall impact on the pitch.”
Nicolato praised the effort of his squad, particularly noting that several players, including striker Vladislavs Gutkovskis, were returning from injury. “Our players gave it everything. Let’s not forget—we were up against a team that’s much higher than us in the rankings,” he emphasized.
Latvia made the most of set-piece opportunities in this match, one of which led to Antonijs Černomordijs’s early goal following a cleverly executed quick corner. “After the recent friendlies, we specifically worked on set plays. It showed today—we executed them well,” Nicolato explained. Still, he admitted there’s room for improvement: “We need to sharpen our play in the final third.”
Looking ahead to the next round of qualifiers in September, Nicolato and his staff plan to monitor players closely at their clubs. He also stressed the importance of internal competition within the squad. “It’s crucial. I want to raise the level of internal competition—because that’s the foundation for strong performances. Without it, it’s difficult to build a cohesive and competitive team.”
Latvia was without their captain, Kristers Tobers, for this match. The defender—fresh off a Scottish Cup win—suffered a minor knee issue during the training camp. “We didn’t want to take risks. He’s important for us, and we also value our relationship with his club,” Nicolato added.
Latvia opened their qualifying campaign with a 1–0 away win over Andorra, followed by a 0–3 defeat to England. Now, they’ve added a valuable point against Albania to keep their qualifying hopes alive.
World Cup 2026 qualifying Group K
| # | Team | GP | W | D | L | PTS |
| 1 | England | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| 2 | Albania | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 14 |
| 3 | Serbia | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 13 |
| 4 | Latvia | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 5 |
| 5 | Andorra | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
Source: LETA
