Kristaps Grabovskis said Latvia must turn possession into clear chances after a 1-0 defeat by the Faroe Islands in the Baltic Cup, which saw them finish dead last in the tournament. The 20-year-old, who plays for Danish second tier side B.93, also assessed his first two senior international starts.
Speaking to press after the match, the attacking midfielder, who turns 21 on Sunday, felt Latvia needed time to settle before finding openings down both flanks, but lacked a decisive final ball or finish.
“We needed the first 10-15 minutes to switch on,” Grabovskis said. “We understood they couldn’t keep up in defensive actions on the left and also on the right, and we could control the ball more, but in the final third we needed more – better shots, better final passes. We were getting there, we controlled well, especially in the second half, but we had to finish it with an assist or a shot.”
Grabovskis highlighted his rapport with Andrejs Cigaņiks on the left side, calling the more experienced international a mentor who helped him defensively and created space going forward.
“Individually it was a good game, but I’m not that happy because in the end there was no result,” he added. “We need goal contributions – that’s what the fans expect and what’s expected of the national team.”
Asked why Latvia have often started cautiously before improving later, Grabovskis said the side sometimes reacts too slowly to what opponents change during matches. “It’s a communication issue,” he noted. “Over time we’ll work on it.”
Grabovskis also spoke about his club situation after B.93’s relegation in Denmark, saying he still has two years left on his contract and is ready to help the club win promotion.
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Source: https://sportacentrs.com/futbols/latvijas_izlase/10062026-radosais_grabovskis_par_pirmajiem_pamatsa
