The third Big Riga Derby of the season ended with no goals, but the 0–0 draw may prove more decisive than the scoreline suggests. For Riga FC, the result was close to ideal: they preserved their six-point lead over RFS, secured a superior head-to-head record, and moved one step closer to their first league title in five years. For RFS, meanwhile, the performance offered tactical promise but left little margin for error in the title defence race.
RFS head coach Viktors Morozs emphasised the balance between performance and outcome. “Despite the 0:0, I think the fans enjoyed it. There was a lot of fight and tactical nuances from both teams. We were a bit closer to winning, but unfortunately couldn’t score,” he reflected. In truth, RFS looked sharper than in many recent outings, a sign that Morozs’ mid-season tactical adjustments may be beginning to take hold.
The coach detailed defensive innovations designed to blunt Riga’s key threats. “Veips was responsible for Ramires’s speed and handled it well. Filipovičs and Lipuščeks did a great job in the half-flanks, while Panič had new tasks that allowed us to press more,” he explained. The approach succeeded in limiting Riga’s vertical balls to forwards Ramires and Diop, but RFS lacked the attacking precision to turn dominance into a decisive breakthrough. Morozs admitted that the final attack broke down due to “inexperience or unwillingness to take initiative” from younger players — an admission that highlights both the club’s reliance on emerging talent and the risks that come with it.
For Riga, head coach Adrián Guľa struck a pragmatic note. “It was a good game, very tactical. The first half was strong for us, the second was 50–50. We could have scored twice, but so could they. At the end of the day, this is a marathon,” he said. The Slovakian coach framed the draw not as a missed opportunity, but as confirmation of Riga’s consistency: in three derbies this season, Riga have beaten last year’s champions twice and drawn once, a record that effectively tilts the title race in their favour.
Guľa also pointed to his squad’s depth, justifying his decision to start Ramires ahead of the in-form Marko Regža. “Marko deserves to start, but sometimes it’s tactical,” he explained. That flexibility may prove decisive in the run-in, especially with injuries and suspensions limiting Riga’s defensive options. He praised the resilience of Baba Musah and Ahmed Awua Ankrah, both of whom played through fitness issues, a reminder of how fine margins often define title campaigns.
The derby was ultimately a tactical stalemate, with both sides cancelling each other out in key areas of the pitch. But while RFS emerged with positives in terms of structure and discipline, the broader trajectory of the season remains tilted towards Riga. To reclaim control, RFS would now need both a flawless finish and for Riga to falter – something they have shown little inclination to do.
