FK Liepāja produced a spirited second-half comeback despite playing with ten men for more than an hour, defeating SK Super Nova 2-1 away from home in the 26th round of the Tonybet Virslīga. The victory moves the visitors within two points of fourth-placed BFC Daugavpils, while still holding a game in hand.
Liepāja nearly made the perfect start as the league’s leading goalscorer Joseph Ede Oloko latched onto a long pass inside the opening minutes before striking from the edge of the penalty area, but Super Nova goalkeeper Dāvis Viljams Veisbuks reacted well to make the save.
The visitors’ afternoon soon became much more difficult as their disciplinary problems continued. Brazilian defender Talisca, making his Virslīga debut, endured a nightmare first appearance after receiving two yellow cards within a matter of minutes midway through the first half, leaving Liepāja to play the remainder of the match with ten men.
It marked the club’s fourth red card of the league season, with only FK Auda having seen more players sent off this season in Virslīga.
Super Nova almost capitalised before the break when former Liepāja player Ivans Patrikejevs curled an effort narrowly past the post, but the breakthrough finally arrived in first-half stoppage time.
Following a corner kick, Jegors Cīrulis was left completely unmarked inside the penalty area and powered his finish into the net to give the hosts a deserved 1-0 lead. Earlier before kick-off, Cīrulis had been honoured for becoming the first player in Super Nova’s history to reach 100 appearances for the club’s first team.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Liepāja responded brilliantly after the restart.
Leonel Strumia delivered an inviting cross towards the far post, where Oloko produced a moment of improvisation, cushioning the ball back across goal with the underside of his foot. Danila Patijčuks was perfectly positioned to head home from close range and level the score.
Oloko was not finished there. Having already demonstrated his goalscoring qualities throughout the season, the Nigerian forward turned provider once again in the closing stages. Bursting into the penalty area, he squared an excellent pass into the middle, where fellow Nigerian Abioudun Ogunniyi arrived to calmly finish and complete the turnaround.
The league’s top scorer almost capped a magnificent individual display moments later when he found himself through on goal looking for his 20th league goal of the season, but Veisbuks denied him with an excellent save.
Liepāja comfortably held on during the closing minutes to secure a crucial victory that keeps their hopes of a top-four finish firmly alive. They now trail fourth-placed BFC Daugavpils by just two points while still having a match in hand. Super Nova, meanwhile, missed the opportunity to move within a single point of Liepāja and instead remain sixth, seven points behind their opponents.
SK Super Nova vs FK Liepāja – 1-2 (1-0)
Goals: Cīrulis 45+2′ | Patijčuks 59′, Ogunniyi 87′
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Riga FC |
25 | 20 | 4 | 1 | 76 | 21 | 55 | 64 |
| 2 |  RFS |
24 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 56 | 16 | 40 | 62 |
| 3 |  FK Auda |
24 | 14 | 4 | 6 | 39 | 26 | 13 | 46 |
| 4 |  BFC Daugavpils |
26 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 33 | 31 | 2 | 36 |
| 5 |  FK Liepāja |
25 | 10 | 4 | 11 | 33 | 37 | -4 | 34 |
| 6 |  Super Nova |
24 | 8 | 3 | 13 | 26 | 37 | -11 | 27 |
| 7 |  FS Jelgava |
26 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 25 | 44 | -19 | 25 |
| 8 |  Grobiņa |
25 | 4 | 9 | 12 | 17 | 41 | -24 | 21 |
| 9 |  FK Tukums 2000 |
26 | 4 | 8 | 14 | 40 | 51 | -11 | 20 |
| 10 |  Ogre United |
25 | 3 | 5 | 17 | 24 | 65 | -41 | 14 |
