It has been 99 days since the two Latvian giants RFS and Riga FC last met. On a warm Wednesday evening, Riga managed to fight back in front of their home fans as Jānis Ikaunieks’ opener in the second half was cancelled out by Ahmed Ankrah, which was later followed by a winner from substitute Marko Regža, and to put it home, Ankrah completed a brace as Riga triumphed 3:1 and extended their lead in the table to five points.
Since then, RFS have had their lowest point in their recent history, failing to qualify for the final stage of a European competition, playing unconvincingly, and failing to reach the Latvian Cup final for the first time since 2020. Meanwhile, Riga have possibly had their highest point, beating Sparta Prague at home, comfortably sitting at the top of the table in the league, and reaching the Latvian Cup final.
“We understand very well that we have to win this match,” manager Viktors Morozs said. “I’m sure that all Latvian football fans will watch this match with pleasure.”
Here’s what to watch when RFS and Riga FC collide this week in LNK Sporta Parks.
State of RFS
It’s fair to say that RFS have had a ‘hangover’ following their Magic Season in 2024. Three trophies, defeated Ajax, drew against Galatasaray and Anderlecht, on occasions more than two games a week – this year it has been the exact opposite. Travels in Europe have been exchanged with domestic trips to Liepāja and Tukums, while emphatic wins all around – to a shocking loss to Jelgava and an elimination in both the European qualifiers and the cup.
The reigning Latvian champions have won just two of their last six matches, drawing one and losing three, which includes a 4:1 loss to Jelgava. This and losses to KuPS and Hamrun Spartans in European qualifiers just add up to the disappointment. They haven’t won back-to-back matches and have kept just one clean sheet since the middle of July.
The summer signings are still far from fitting into the Morozs’ system, and the injuries just keep mounting up. Lasha Odisharia’s injury seems far more concerning than previously, even though he was expected to be back at the start of the month. Herdi Prenga is still undergoing recovery since the Malmö match, just adding to the big mountain of injured players like Diedhiou, Porsan-Clemente, Sliede, Dāvis Ikaunieks, Ndjiki, and Osuagwu.
There are also positives, as some players have returned from their long-term injuries. Ismael just last weekend scored his first goal since that match in Nicosia, Cedric Kouadio has also returned, and against Daugavpils already stood out with an assist.
State of Riga FC
Riga’s season has been nothing but brilliant. Leading the Virsliga by six points and reaching the Latvian Cup final by dismantling Liepāja 4:0 (!) in the semi-final. It’s only on them to finish the season off in style.
Domestically, they haven’t lost since that infamous 2:1 loss to Daugavpils in March. They’ve racked up 24 wins in the league, scored 76 goals (still one goal less than the struggling RFS), and conceded just 21. If we also add the cup fixtures, it makes it 27 wins and 94 goals. Crazy numbers.
Despite not going through the Champions path in the European qualifiers, they still managed to reach the UEFA Conference League play-off round, where they fell just short (1:2) to last season’s Champions League participants, Sparta Prague from the Czech Republic.
The transformation under Adrian Gula has been nothing short of a success for Riga. Despite a bad start to the season, Riga’s board managed to keep its cool, and it paid off as Riga are on their way to their first title since 2020.
Who to watch on RFS
It’s fair to say that RFS’ recent form has overshadowed Jānis Ikaunieks a bit. Although his form is not as great as last year, he can still do the job when needed. Since that red card against Malmö, Ikaunieks has scored five and assisted three in eight appearances, having blanked in just two games. The Latvian Footballer of the Year isn’t used to scoring in the Riga Derbies, but with the title on the line and the right motivation, he can cause a threat from anywhere.
Another thing to watch: Aside from Ikaunieks, what will be the other outputs for RFS in attack? Fast-paced Mor Talla is the answer for that. Lightning-fast, skilful, high-jumping, these are only some of the traits he adds to the team when on the pitch, and he already showed them when both teams met back in June. However, due to hard tackles from the Riga defenders, he eventually had to go off injured. So expect the 1.64m long winger seeking revenge.
Stefan Panič aka Mr. Consistent, also can’t be ruled out on this occasion. The Serbian holding midfielder is used to turning up with a goal in big moments, and on Thursday, it could be no different.
Who to watch on Riga FC
The Peruvian international Joao Grimaldo has been one of the main talking points at Riga since the summer. The 22-year-old has played a big part in Riga’s recent success, being one of the main figures on his side. Four goals and five assists don’t seem much on paper, but it’s what you see on the pitch that counts. His flashiness and relentless raids in attack are impressive to watch. The technical winger has also brought a big following from his home country on social media, as videos with him always go viral and get numerous interactions.
Would you believe me if I told you that the team’s top scorer this season is their backup striker? Impressively enough, Marko Regža, who has played 500 minutes less than Riga’s main marksman Reginaldo Ramires, has managed to rack up 17 goals this season, three more than the Brazilian. Regža scored off the bench in the last Riga Derby and should be under a lookout this time, too.
Ahmed Ankrah is another goalscorer from the most recent derby game. The strong and athletic defensive midfielder out of nowhere popped up with two goals, and since then has scored just once. Could he do it again?
Possible scenarios
If RFS win … The reigning Latvian champions shorten the distance, leaving just a three-point gap between them. If nothing changes until the last matchday, RFS will have to win the derby once again to clinch the title.
If Riga win … They go nine points clear at the top of the table, and you can already start engraving their name on the trophy.
If it ends as a draw … The gap stays the same – six points, and RFS will have to hope that Riga slip up somewhere else before both teams meet once again on the last day of the season.
