After a 1-0 defeat to RFS, FK Auda head coach Jurģis Kalns expressed satisfaction with how his team performed and called RFS’s goal into question.
The most anticipated match in the opening round of the second lap of Virslīga 2025 was, without a doubt, RFS versus Auda. The game, played on the natural pitch of the LNK Sporta Parks, did not disappoint as both teams demonstrated aggressive and technical football.
RFS began the game in a 4-4-1-1 formation with Dmitrijs Zelenkovs playing a surprise number 10 position, just under Darko Lemajić. As per the familiar RFS game plan, the defending Champions focused on crossing the ball into the box to take advantage of their tall centre-forward. Auda, on the other hand, started the game with a focus on speed and long balls behind the backs of RFS high defensive line. This approach almost bore fruit on a handful of occasions as Kamehlo Nguena and Jeudi Stevenson found themselves one on one with RFS goalkeeper Sergejs Vilkovs but could not convert. RFS eventually closed this tactical loophole but Auda still have plenty of opportunities from set pieces, the highlight being Emīls Birka hitting the bar from a direct free kick.
The defending Champions kept with their game plan and, eventually, this paid off as Lasha Odisharia stormed the box in the 39th minute to cross the ball from a sharp angle over the Auda goalkeeper and right onto the head of Darko Lemajić, who made no mistake and became the first player to score 6 this season, thus leaving Riga’s Ramires, Liepāja’s Gueye and Grobiņa’s Kalmarzy behind. The match ended 1-0 with records showing Auda’s slight advantage in possession, a stunning 11 corner kicks but fewer shots on goal and not a single shot on target against RFS’s four.
After the match, Auda’s head coach, Jurģis Kalns thanked his players for their performance but expressed disappointment with the outcome. “I told them that I am proud of them for how they performed in their first game on the natural pitch. I did not expect us to dominate as much. Of course, much of the first half was spent adjusting to the grass but, after that, after a half-time talk, we pulled ahead and it’s a pity that we did not get even a point. I think we deserved at least a draw“, said the Auda manager. “I think the spectators also enjoyed the match and many were probably surprised by just how much pressure we put on RFS. Of course, we lacked sharpness in our finishing and in the final third, but overall I am very satisfied with the team“.
Speaking about the tactical approach at the beginning of the match, Kalns explained: “We were preparing for this, yes. We wanted to stretch RFS out between zones and between the lines. Especially between midfielders and defenders to create more space between the lines so that more free zones open up. From the beginning, we were using this weakness of RFS, which I still consider to be their major weakness, which, by the way, include spaces between defenders and wing-backs and diagonal spaces, and, in doing so, we managed to push RFS further back and, once they were pushed back, then we could use technical attributes of our players and to move between the lines“
As for the goal, this situation should not have even been there as there was a foul in the build-up when Panić elbowed Ogunniyi. It is clear that Ogunniyi controlled the ball and Panić only made a tackle after it bounced off the pitch and elbowed him with his other hand.
“This was a very important and exciting fight. We won, I think deservedly, even despite the opponent having a good opportunity after a long ball. But, overall, I am very pleased with the first half. We stuck to our plan as Auda decided to play long balls. Of course, it was difficult for us but we managed to hold our own, playing as a team and doing so very well“, commented RFS head coach Viktors Morozs. “We knew that they will be more aggressive in the second half, having nothing to lose. There was some pressure, yes, but I don’t recall any dangerous situations of shots on target. I am also pleased for Vilkovs – he played like a serious goalkeeper today. I would, of course, prefer if we used more of our chances but the most important things today was to win and to prevent the opponents from creating anything in the second half”
This was RFS’s second win over Auda this season, having won the opening match of the season 2-1. RFS will next play Jelgava on the 5th of May as Auda will face off against the formidable Riga FC later that same day.
Note from the editor: earlier version of this article contained translation inaccuracies that misquoted the Auda manager as saying that he thought his team deserved to win. This has been fixed since.