The pre-season friendly match between Riga Futsal Club and MNK Futsal Dinamo saw Croatian hosts twice fight back from behind, but Riga ultimately held on to secure a 3–2 victory. Their quality, depth and composure in key moments highlighted why the Latvian champions are a force on the continental stage.
Riga created their first chance in the fourth minute when new signing Bruno Coelho combined with captain Ricardinho Vargas, though the shot flew over. Minutes later, they took the lead unexpectedly as Vlads Rimkus struck directly from a quickly taken corner. Dinamo pressed for an equaliser, but Riga’s attack continued to threaten through Rimkus and Daniel Da Silva.
In the second half, Riga’s Brazilian goalkeeper De Souza made his mark at both ends. After saving well, he spotted Dinamo’s keeper off his line and launched a precise long-range strike that found the net, extending Riga’s advantage. Even as Dinamo levelled at 2–2 through Mihovil Prgomet in the 28th minute, Riga showed their experience. With five minutes remaining, Pilipčuks delivered a clever assist and Gregolon Marqua finished with a deft backheel to restore the lead at 3–2.
Dinamo pushed hard in the closing stages, even using a flying goalkeeper, but Riga’s defence stood firm. The final whistle confirmed a narrow but impressive win for the Latvians, underlining their reputation as one of Europe’s elite futsal outfits.
