On a special night for Latvian defender Daniels Balodis, who celebrated his 27th birthday, Latvia fought to a 1-1 draw against Albania in a friendly match at Skonto Stadium. The St. Johnstone centre-back, starting in the heart of the defense, shared his thoughts after the match in an interview with Baltic Football News.
“We Earned the Draw”
When asked whether he was satisfied with the result, Balodis responded:
“This time, I am. It was a tough game, but we earned that draw. Yes, there were moments when Albania pinned us back, but we defended well and didn’t allow them to create any clear-cut chances. Towards the end, we dropped a bit deeper, but the lads held firm and we secured an important point at home.”
Latvia started strong, nearly scoring through Gutkovskis, but later struggled with Albania’s high pressing game, leading to some unnecessary turnovers. Balodis pushed back on the notion that the team was caught off guard:
“I disagree — we managed to play through their press several times with good passing sequences. One of those even led to the penalty we earned [author’s note]. Sure, their press was aggressive and caused problems at times, but it wasn’t overwhelming. We knew they wouldn’t be able to keep that intensity for the full match, and we took advantage of that in the first half.”
Balodis likes to carry the ball forward from the back — something he showcased again during this match. When asked whether this is a personal choice or part of the tactical setup, he explained:
“I enjoy doing it, and the coach wants us [centre-backs] to do it more. He encourages us to drive forward with the ball and create dangerous situations — to keep the opposition thinking. I had a few chances to do that today, and I think I made the most of them.”
Tactical adjustments in the second half
Latvia appeared more compact and composed defensively in the first part of the second half, limiting Albania to long-range efforts and neutralizing their attacking threats. Balodis confirmed that this shift was part of the game plan:
“Yes, the coach made some minor adjustments — we tightened up the midfield and stopped giving them space to deliver crosses. We were solid at the back and cleared any balls that came into our box.”
In the final 20 minutes, Latvia sat very deep — a noticeable shift that looked like a classic “park-the-bus” strategy. Was it fatigue or a deliberate decision?
“The end was tough. To be honest, Albania’s coach made the right substitutions at the right time — he refreshed their team well. That gave them momentum, and we were mostly on the defensive. But lucky for us, the final whistle came, and we secured this crucial point against a strong Albanian side.”
Looking ahead
With the international window closed and the club season behind him, what’s next for Balodis?
“It’s early June now,” Balodis said after a brief pause. “I’ll return to Scotland at the end of the month, but right now I just want to rest and enjoy a short break. It’s been a long and challenging season.”
