Krautmanis strike gives Grobiņa first away league win in nearly a year

In a surprise result from the 19th round of the TonyBet Virslīga, FK Grobiņa claimed their first away victory of the season, narrowly defeating FS Jelgava 1–0 thanks to a late strike from Jānis Krautmanis. Jelgava, who had only lost once at home in their previous nine outings, suffered a rare and disappointing defeat on their turf.

Jelgava entered the match without two key starters: central defender Kristers Alekseičiks and Czech full-back Ondrej Ullman, both suspended. Head coach Aleksandrs Basovs had to reshuffle his backline, bringing in the returning Roberts Veips and young centre-back Valters Pūre to fill the gaps.

Meanwhile, Grobiņa arrived in Jelgava under pressure, riding a three-match losing streak. However, head coach Viktors Dobrecovs stuck with the same starting XI that had performed commendably in a narrow 1–2 loss to FK Auda. The consistency paid off.

In the two previous meetings between these sides this season, both had ended in tightly contested affairs—first a 1–1 draw and then a slim 1–0 home win for Jelgava. David Holoubek’s goal had been the difference in the latter, with Jelgava dominating large parts of that encounter.

Heading into this fixture, the odds favored Jelgava. Their home form was impressive: six wins, two draws, and just one defeat (against FK Liepāja in round 16). In contrast, Grobiņa’s away record was abysmal—zero wins, two draws, and six losses. Their last win outside of Liepāja dated back almost a year to July 2, 2024, against FK Auda at Skonto Stadium.

Surprisingly, it was Grobiņa who started the brighter of the two. Early headed efforts from Gļebs Kļuškins and Devids Dobrecovs narrowly missed the target, with Dobrecovs rattling the crossbar. He continued to be a menace throughout the first half, nearly breaking through after a misjudged defensive play by Veips, only to send his final shot over the bar.

Just before halftime, Dobrecovs again found himself in a prime position after a powerful run and shot by Oļģerds Raščevskis. The rebound fell kindly for him, but his mis-hit effort lacked power and direction, landing straight into the arms of the keeper after bouncing off a grounded defender.

Grobiņa’s bench and traveling fans could only sigh in frustration at the missed chances, while Jelgava could consider themselves fortunate to go into the break with a 0–0 scoreline.

The second half was expected to bring a stronger showing from the home side, especially given their typically dominant home displays—even against top-tier teams. But the energy simply wasn’t there. Jelgava looked lethargic and uninspired, while Grobiņa kept probing for the breakthrough.

One of the best chances came to former Virslīga MVP Kļuškins, who received a brilliant pass following slick interplay between Gaučis and Dobrecovs. Unfortunately for Grobiņa, Kļuškins failed to connect properly with his acrobatic attempt.

Eventually, the breakthrough came in the 82nd minute. After a poorly executed set piece by Jelgava, Grobiņa countered with purpose. Kļuškins found Krautmanis just inside the penalty area, and the midfielder curled a beautiful left-footed strike into the far corner—1–0, and fully deserved.

Even after conceding, Jelgava showed no sign of urgency. Their lack of energy and creativity cost them dearly, as they slumped to a well-deserved 0–1 defeat. For Grobiņa, it marked not only a much-needed end to their losing streak but also their first away win in the Virslīga outside of Liepāja in nearly a year.

The result lifts Grobiņa to 7th in the table, while Jelgava remains 5th with 24 points, now five behind 4th-place FK Liepāja.

FS Jelgava vs FK Grobiņa – 0:1 (0:0)
Goals: Krautmanis 82′
JEL: Dvorak, Muhammad, Veips, Purs, Boroduška (Kašica 83′), Yuzvak, Holoubek, Penkevics, Promise (Šusts 86′), Emenike, Bečers (Pētersons 69′)
GRO: Pinčuks, Tchamba, Bekili, Krautmanis, Kļuškins, Džeriņš (Fjodorovs 70′), Sidorovs, Družiņins, Sdegui (Gaučis 52′), Raščevskis, Dobrecovs (Leitāns 90’+3)

Virslīga Matchday 19 games:

• 21.06.2025 – BFC Daugavpils vs FK Tukums 2000 – 1:2
• 21.06.2025 – FK Liepāja vs FK Metta – 1:0
• 22.06.2025 – FS Jelgava vs FK Grobiņa – 0:1
• 22.06.2025 – Riga FC vs SK Super Nova – 18:00
• 22.06.2025 – FC RFS vs FK Auda – 20:00