Grobiņa survive another playoff thriller to keep their place in Virslīga

FK Grobiņa will play Virslīga football again in 2026 after surviving an emotional, high-stakes playoff second leg at the packed RTU Stadium, edging JDFS Alberts 1-0 on the night and 1-0 on aggregate. For the second straight year, Grobiņa ended Alberts’ promotion hopes in the playoff – and once again did it on their opponent’s home turf.

Three days earlier the sides played out a tense 0-0 draw in Liepāja, setting up a decisive battle in Rīga. Despite freezing temperatures and a biting wind, the stadium filled with supporters who understood exactly what was at stake.

Both teams started cautiously, trading half-chances in the opening minutes. But as the tension rose, so did the involvement of VAR – which would become a defining theme of the evening.

In the 18th minute, Andris Treimanis initially didn’t notice a play on when the ball struck an Alberts defender’s arm inside the box. Moments later the VAR team alerted him to review the incident, and a penalty was awarded.
Devids Dobrecovs stepped up confidently, but veteran goalkeeper Germans Māliņš produced a superb save to keep Grobiņa level and ignite the away sector.

VAR intervened again soon after, again to Alberts’ despair. Artjoms Puzirevskis broke through on goal and was clipped by Ukrainian defender Matviy Marusiy. Treimanis initially judged the fall to be theatrical, but after reviewing the footage, he returned to show Marusiy a straight red card. The stadium erupted – and not in approval.

Grobiņa struck just before halftime. A corner created chaos in the box, the ball drifted to the far post, and Aleksejs Grjaznovs reacted quickest, forcing it over the line to give his team a crucial 1-0 lead in the tie.

Alberts’ situation worsened shortly after the break. Key player Matīss Zēģele earned a second yellow card during an aerial duel with Jānis Krautmanis, leaving the home team with just nine men. Furious fans delayed the match briefly, but after another VAR check, the decision stood.

To their credit, Alberts showed huge character. Even with two players down, they produced one dangerous attack that nearly stunned Grobiņa. But the numerical disadvantage became increasingly obvious, and Grobiņa settled into controlling possession, slowing the tempo, and waiting for openings.

They found several – but every time, Māliņš responded with brilliant reflex saves to keep the tie alive until the final whistle. Even so, Alberts could not fashion a late miracle. When the match ended, Grobiņa had once again crushed the club’s dream of reaching the Virslīga for the first time. The wait will continue until at least 2027.

With this dramatic playoff, the Latvian football season officially comes to a close.
The ten clubs confirmed for the 2026 Virslīga season are: