Riga can’t hold on to lead again and have to settle for third straight 1-1 draw

Riga FC remain without a victory in the UEFA Conference League after playing out their third consecutive 1-1 draw, this time against Czech side Jablonec at Skonto Stadium. Reginaldo Ramires gave the Latvian runners-up a first-half lead from the penalty spot, but Sebastian Nebyla equalised shortly after the break, while a spectacular Salah-Eddine Oulad strike was ruled out following a VAR review.

Riga FC head coach Adrian Guľa named an unchanged starting eleven for the third consecutive Conference League fixture, keeping faith with the players who had previously earned draw against Kairat and Pafos.

The visitors made an aggressive start, pressing high up the pitch and looking to exploit Riga’s mistakes in possession. Jablonec remained compact defensively and proved particularly dangerous on the counter-attack, with Salah-Oulad producing a crucial last-man challenge in the 12th minute to prevent a promising two-on-one situation.

The resulting corner forced Riga goalkeeper Kenan Piric into his first save of the evening. Jablonec continued to threaten, with Dominik Holly narrowly missing the target from distance before Saidou Alioum failed to convert a promising opportunity following another dangerous set piece.

Despite enjoying more possession, Riga struggled to create clear chances during the opening half-hour. Their best early opportunity came through Oulad, whose shot prompted appeals for handball from the home players, but the Ukrainian referee allowed play to continue.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 34th minute. Reginaldo Ramires chased down Oulad’s pass into the penalty area and reached the ball ahead of Jablonec goalkeeper Klemen Mihelak, who brought down the Brazilian striker.

With Muhammed Badamosi, who had missed Riga’s previous two penalties, starting on the bench, Ramires stepped up himself and confidently converted from the spot, sending Mihelak the wrong way to give Riga a 1-0 lead.

The hosts maintained their advantage until half-time, although neither side managed to create another clear opportunity before the interval.

Jablonec head coach made a change at half-time, introducing Australian winger Garang Kuol in place of Matej Polidar, and the substitution quickly paid off.

Just four minutes after the restart, Kuol produced an impressive individual run from midfield before finding Dominik Holly near the penalty area. Holly delivered a cross towards the far post, where Sebastian Nebyla had been left completely unmarked and finished past Piric to level the score at 1-1.

Riga responded almost immediately with what appeared to be one of the goals of the evening. Oulad unleashed a superb strike from outside the penalty area, sending the ball into the top corner and leaving Mihelak with no chance.

However, the celebrations were cut short following a lengthy VAR review. Before Riga regained possession, Maksims Toņiševs had collided with Holly, leaving the Jablonec midfielder on the ground. After reviewing the incident on the pitchside monitor, the referee ruled that Toņiševs had committed a foul, disallowing the goal and booking the Riga defender.

Despite the setback, Riga continued to push forward and enjoyed spells of possession in the second half. However, clear-cut chances remained difficult to create, with Raki Aouani and Caio Ferreira both sending efforts over the crossbar.

Jablonec also threatened from set pieces and counter-attacks. Nebyla tested Piric from a difficult angle before narrowly missing the target with a free kick in the 85th minute, while Lamin Jawo failed to convert a promising opportunity following a corner.

Both teams had opportunities to snatch a late winner. Badamosi fired over from inside the penalty area in stoppage time, while substitute Samuel Pedro forced Mihelak into a save with a low effort from distance. Iago Siqueira and Coli Saco also had late attempts, but neither could find the decisive goal.

The final whistle confirmed another 1-1 draw for Riga FC, who have now recorded identical results in all three of their Conference League fixtures.

Guľa’s side remain unbeaten in the league phase with three points from three matches, although they are still searching for their first victory as they continue their pursuit of a place in the knockout rounds.

Riga FC vs Jablonec – 1-1 (1-0)
Goals: Ramires 14′ (Penalty kick) | Nebyla 49′