Tukums 2000 earns hard-fought point in draw against Jelgava

In a dramatic Virslīga Round 18 clash in Tukums, FK Tukums 2000 played nearly an hour with a man advantage but had to settle for a 1–1 draw against FS Jelgava, securing a vital point in the battle to climb off the bottom of the table.

Heading into the match, Tukums sat last in the standings and was on a four-match losing streak, though three of those defeats came against the league’s top three sides. FS Jelgava, on the other hand, came in with momentum, having come from behind in their previous outing to defeat FK Metta 2–1.

Tukums head coach Kristaps Dišlers welcomed back starting goalkeeper Raivo Stūriņš, while Dāvis Mārcis Valmiers and Raivis Ķiršs returned to the starting XI. Jelgava, led by Aleksandrs Basovs, made just one change—Rihards Bečers reclaimed a starting role after a game off.

The first half offered limited attacking threat from either side, with one real chance apiece. Early on, Victor Promise couldn’t convert from close range for Jelgava, while Tukums’ Ukrainian midfielder Artem Kholod tested Adam Dvorak with a stinging 30-meter drive.

The match tilted in Tukums’ favor in the 38th minute when Jelgava’s Czech defender Ondřej Ullman was shown a straight red card for a reckless challenge on Ķiršs, leaving the visitors down to ten men. Tukums nearly capitalized before the break, but Ķiršs failed to control Bogdans Samoilovs’ incisive pass and could only muster a tight-angle effort that Dvorak kept out.

Despite being a man down, Jelgava struck first. A defensive mix-up at the back allowed Victor Promise to pounce in the 50th minute, stealing possession and coolly finishing into the far corner to make it 1–0.

Tukums responded with urgency, pushing numbers forward and opening up the game. Jelgava nearly doubled their lead when Kristers Penkevics, fresh off his national team debut, unleashed a rocket from distance that smashed off the crossbar.

Eventually, the pressure paid off. In the final phase of the match, Gļebs Kačanovs floated in a ball into the box that found Ingars Pūlis. The striker showed composure with two touches to settle and shoot with his left foot, burying the ball into the corner past a helpless Dvorak. It marked Pūlis’ 8th goal of the season, underlining his importance to the Tukums attack.

Neither side could find a winner in the closing moments, and the match ended 1–1.

With the draw:

• FS Jelgava slips down to 5th place in the standings.
• FK Tukums 2000 remains in 10th (last) place on 12 points, but the result ends a run of four straight defeats and offers some momentum moving forward.

FK Tukums 2000 vs FS Jelgava – 1:1 (0:0)
Goals: Pūlis 85′ | Promise 49′
TUK: Stūriņš, Ķiršs (Bekima 65′), Semeško (Joksts 65′), Reingolcs, Kholod (Kačanovs 65′), Volkovs (Sirbu 85′), Valmiers (Rogovs 55′), Anmanis, Samoilovs, Dusalijevs, Pūlis
JEL: Dvorak, Muhammad, Penkevics, Aļekseičiks, Ullman, Emenike (Campos 79′), Holoubek, Yuzvak, Boroduška, Promise (Pētersons 65′), Bečers (Purs 39′)

Virslīga Matchday 18 games:

• 17.06.2025 – FK Metta vs BFC Daugavpils – 2:2
• 17.06.2025 – FK Tukums 2000 vs FS Jelgava – 1:1
• 17.06.2025 – SK Super Nova vs FK Liepāja – 1:3
• 18.06.2025 – FK Grobiņa vs FK Auda – 18:00
• 18.06.2025 – Riga FC vs FC RFS – 20:00