Riga FC’s return to the UEFA Champions League after a five-year absence ended in disappointment as the Latvian champions fell 0-2 away to Ararat-Armenia, with goalkeeper Frenks Orols’ second-half red card proving a major turning point in the first game. The tie will now be decided next Tuesday at Skonto Stadium, where Riga will need to overturn a two-goal deficit.
Played in difficult conditions on a rain-soaked pitch and with strong winds in Abovyan, Riga FC head coach Adrian Guľa made three changes to the starting eleven that defeated FS Jelgava 3-0 in the Tonybet Virslīga on Friday. With captain Antonijs Černomordijs unavailable through injury, Paulo Eduardo stepped into central defence, while Orlando Galo and Baba Musah both returned to the starting lineup.
The visitors initially struggled to adapt to the conditions, particularly the strong wind, which made long passes difficult to judge. Ararat-Armenia looked the more dangerous side during the opening stages and forced Frenks Orols into action as early as the seventh minute, when the Latvian goalkeeper produced an excellent save to deny the lively Artur Serobyan from the right side of the penalty area.
Riga found it difficult to establish any rhythm, with many of their longer passes being held up by the wind, allowing the Armenian champions to launch several dangerous counter-attacks. Although Ararat attempted a handful of efforts from distance, none seriously tested Orols, and gradually the Latvian champions began to settle into the match.
By the final quarter of the first half, Riga had taken control of possession and were playing the type of football Guľa had demanded before the match. Their best opportunity arrived in the 38th minute when Raivis Jurkovskis found Mohamed Badamosi inside the penalty area. The Gambian striker created space for himself before unleashing a powerful left-footed strike, but new Ararat-Armenia goalkeeper Joao Bravim reacted superbly, stretching out his left arm to produce an outstanding save on his competitive debut for the club.
Riga continued to dominate possession and most of the duels during the closing stages of the half, but Ararat-Armenia nearly punished them on the counter just before the interval. Following another dangerous delivery from Serobyan, Kenyan Tera Luheni Alwyn found himself unmarked inside the six-yard box but headed narrowly wide.
The Latvian champions came flying out after the restart. Within the opening three minutes they produced almost as many attempts as they had managed during the entire first half. Raki Aouani came closest to breaking the deadlock, forcing Bravim into another fine fingertip save from a tight angle, while moments later Paulo Eduardo was unable to react quickly enough after a loose ball dropped invitingly inside the penalty area.
However, after surviving that spell of pressure, the remainder of the second half belonged to the Armenian champions. Ararat-Armenia increasingly pinned Riga inside their own half and eventually found the breakthrough in the 63rd minute. Orols initially produced a fine save to deny Bruno Ricardo’s header following a corner, but Riga failed to clear the danger and the loose ball eventually fell to Hugo Oliveira, who calmly finished to give the home side a deserved 1-0 lead.
The situation deteriorated further nine minutes later following a costly mistake from Orols. A long ball held up in the wind sailed over the goalkeeper’s head and, realising he had been caught out, the Latvian international handled the ball outside the penalty area to prevent a clear goal. The referee immediately produced a straight red card, forcing substitute goalkeeper Krišjānis Zviedris into action for his first appearance since 16 May.
Zviedris was called into action almost immediately, making a save from Hugo Oliveira’s resulting free-kick. The rebound fell kindly to Alioune Ndour, who somehow blazed over the empty goal from only a few metres out, allowing Riga a brief escape.
But the visitors’ resistance was finally broken again in the closing stages. Newly-signed Brazilian forward Franca Carlos drove into the penalty area from the left before beating Zviedris with a clinical finish into the near corner, doubling Ararat-Armenia’s advantage.
Riga’s priority for the remainder of the match became limiting the damage ahead of next week’s return leg. Three goals would have left the tie all but over, and despite six minutes of stoppage time, the Latvian champions managed to avoid conceding again. They even came close to pulling one back when Iago Siqueira thundered a long-range effort against the crossbar, while two late corners failed to produce the breakthrough they desperately needed.
The 0-2 defeat leaves Riga FC with a significant task next Tuesday at Skonto Stadium, where they must overturn a two-goal deficit if they are to keep their UEFA Champions League campaign alive.
Ararat-Armenia vs Riga FC 2-0 (0-0)
Goals: Oliveira 63′, Carlos 86′
