Latvia suffered a heartbreaking 1-2 defeat against Cyprus in their final UEFA Nations League match of the October international window, conceding twice after Eduards Dašķevičs had scored his first senior international goal to put Paolo Nicolato’s side ahead.
Latvia appeared on course for at least a point after taking the lead in the 57th minute, but Ioannis Kosti capitalised on a defensive mistake to equalise before Marcus Edwards produced a superb strike in the fourth minute of stoppage time to snatch all three points for Cyprus.
Nicolato was forced into several defensive changes for the match. Captain Antonijs Černomordijs was suspended, Denniss Cirkins had returned to QPR following his third appearance of the international window, while the injured Roberts Savaļnieks did not travel to Cyprus after picking up a knock against Montenegro.
Daniels Balodis, who had not featured in any of Latvia’s previous three matches during the window, was handed his first start, while Markuss Strods returned to the starting XI after scoring his first international goal against Montenegro. Eduards Dašķevičs, Raivis Andris Jurkovskis and Vladislavs Gutkovskis were also brought into the side.
The opening stages were relatively cautious, with neither team immediately able to take control. Latvia registered their first attempt in the 11th minute when Lūkass Vapne tried his luck from outside the penalty area, sending his effort narrowly wide.
Cyprus soon began to establish control and created a succession of dangerous opportunities. Rihards Matrevics was called into action twice in quick succession, denying Loizos Loizou, while Marcus Edwards fired narrowly wide from close range as the hosts increased the pressure.
Latvia struggled to progress through midfield and increasingly resorted to longer passes towards Gutkovskis. The striker did get an opportunity midway through the half after Jurkovskis delivered from the right, but his difficult effort went wide.
Cyprus thought they had found the breakthrough shortly afterwards when Ioannis Pittas put the ball into the net, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. The hosts continued to dominate much of the first half, while Latvia’s defensive unit was forced to absorb sustained pressure.
Nicolato responded at half-time with a double substitution, introducing Kristers Čudars and Daņila Patijčuks in place of Vapne and Strods. The changes immediately improved Latvia’s ability to keep possession and play higher up the pitch.
Gutkovskis came close four minutes after the restart when Čudars found him inside the penalty area, but the striker could not direct his difficult attempt on target.
Eight minutes later, Latvia took the lead through a moment of individual quality from Dašķevičs. Gutkovskis found the winger on the left, before Dašķevičs carried the ball across the pitch and into the penalty area, worked it through the legs of a Cyprus defender and curled an excellent left-footed finish into the far top corner.
It was the 24-year-old’s first goal for the Latvia senior national team and gave Nicolato’s side a 1-0 advantage despite Cyprus having enjoyed the better opportunities for much of the match.
The response from the hosts was immediate. Edwards forced Matrevics into another important save in the 60th minute, while Latvia increasingly dropped towards their own penalty area and attempted to protect their narrow advantage.
Roberts Uldriķis replaced Gutkovskis on the hour, but the momentum continued to move in Cyprus’ favour.
The pressure eventually told in the 70th minute, with Latvia contributing heavily to their own downfall. Deniss Meļņiks made a costly mistake in his own half, misplacing a backpass towards Matrevics. The goalkeeper rushed off his line in an attempt to rescue his teammate, but the loose ball fell to Kosti, who finished into the largely unguarded net to make it 1-1.
With three minutes of stoppage time initially indicated and the match seemingly heading towards a 1-1 draw, Cyprus produced the decisive moment. In the fourth added minute, Nick Tsaroulla found Edwards outside the penalty area, and the former Tottenham and Sporting CP winger unleashed a superb left-footed strike into the top corner beyond Matrevics.
Edwards, who had struck the crossbar deep into stoppage time when the teams met in Riga earlier in the campaign, this time found the net to complete Cyprus’ late turnaround.
The final whistle followed moments later, confirming a painful 1-2 defeat for Latvia after they had been just seconds away from taking a point.
Latvia with one point after four matches are last in their Nations League group. With remaining two games played in November, home against Armenia and away against Montenegro.
Cyprus vs Latvia – 2-1 (0-0)
Goals: Kosti 70′, Edwards 90+4′ | Dašķevičs 57′
