Riga overcomes late scare by Jelgava and extend lead in Virslīga title race

In the 30th round of the TonyBet Virslīga, Riga FC woke up in the second half to overturn a one-goal deficit, defeating FS Jelgava 3-2 and stretching their lead at the top of the table over second-placed RFS to nine points.

Jelgava came into this clash on the back of a stunning 4-1 away victory against reigning champions RFS just eight days earlier – a result that had effectively handed Riga a boost in their hunt for a first title since 2020. Riga, meanwhile, had played midweek in the Latvian Cup semifinal, where they convincingly dispatched FK Liepāja 4-0 to reach the final.

Yet on the day, Riga did not look like the side that has dominated recent months, at least in the first half. They controlled possession but struggled to create clear-cut chances, leaving Jelgava goalkeeper Adam Dvořák largely untested. The hosts, sitting deep and looking to counter, actually carved out the better opportunities. Kingsley Emenike’s header forced a superb save from Latvian international Kristiāns Zviedris, while Czech midfielder Martin Hašek shot wide from a promising position.

The second half began in similar fashion, with Jelgava striking first in the 51st minute. Filip Hašek whipped in a cross from the right, and in attempting to block it, Riga’s Raivis Andris Jurkovskis diverted the ball off his foot and into his own net at the near post, wrong-footing Zviedris.

That shock seemed to spark Riga into life. Just minutes later, Peruvian winger Joao Grimaldo cut inside from the edge of the box and curled a powerful strike into the far corner to level the match.

The turnaround was complete moments later. Renārs Varslavāns intercepted a poor pass from Dvořák in midfield and set up Reginaldo Ramires, with the Brazilian forward firing past the Czech keeper to give Riga a 2-1 lead.

The visitors pushed for more. Substitute Marko Regža and Ramires both had golden chances to extend the advantage, with Ramires astonishingly missing an open goal. Still, the third eventually came – Regža rifling a superb strike into the top corner from the center of the box for his 14th goal of the season, moving him into the league’s top three scorers.

Jelgava weren’t done yet. Late in the game, Filip Hašek scored a beautiful free-kick to cut the deficit in half and claim his second of the match, giving the home side a glimmer of hope. In stoppage time, they nearly found an equalizer when Kristers Alekseičiks rose to meet a free-kick with a high arcing header, but Zviedris pulled off a crucial save to seal the win.

Riga FC ultimately escaped with a 3-2 victory, their seventh in a row, breaking Jelgava’s resistance in the second half. The win extends Riga’s lead at the top to nine points, though RFS will have the chance to trim the gap back to six later today when they host BFC Daugavpils.

The stage is now set for the Riga derby in just four days’ time, with RFS welcoming Riga FC in what could prove a decisive clash in the title race. Jelgava, meanwhile, return home to face FK Auda two days later.

FS Jelgava vs Riga FC – 2:3 (0:0)
Goals: F.Hašek 51′ 90+1′ | Grimaldo 56′, Ramires 63′, Regža 75′

Virslīga Matchday 30:

• 20.09.2025 – FK Tukums 2000 vs FK Metta – 3:2
• 21.09.2025 – FS Jelgava vs Riga FC – 2:3
• 21.09.2025 – FK Grobiņa vs FK Liepāja – 16:00
• 21.09.2025 – FC RFS vs BFC Daugavpils – 18:00
• 22.09.2025 – FK Auda vs SK Super Nova – 18:00