The opening leg of the Virslīga promotion/relegation playoff delivered plenty of tension but no goals, as FK Grobiņa and JDFS Alberts battled to a 0-0 draw in snowy conditions at Liepāja’s Daugava Reserve Stadium. With neither side able to break the deadlock, everything will now be decided in Sunday’s return match at RTU Stadium in Rīga.
Grobiņa reached the playoff only after a dramatic final day in the Virslīga, overturning a two-goal deficit against Auda to secure a vital point that pushed FK Metta into automatic relegation. Ninth place, however, guarantees nothing – survival demands victory over the Nākotnes Liga runners-up. That position was claimed by Alberts, who seized second place in their own nail-biting finale by defeating direct rivals Riga Mariners.
The pairing itself is a repeat of last year’s playoff, when Alberts stunned Grobiņa with a 3-2 win in Liepāja before Grobiņa struck back 2-0 in Rīga to preserve their top-flight status with a 4-3 aggregate triumph.
Both teams faced notable absences. Grobiņa captain Dāvids Družiņins was suspended after a red card in the final Virslīga round, while Alberts were without seasoned midfielder Rihards Ozoliņš.
Grobiņa started on the front foot, collecting early set pieces and forcing several uneasy moments for goalkeeper Germans Māliņš. The first clear chance arrived in the 15th minute when Matīss Zēģele broke free, only for defender Rolandas Baravykas to halt him with a perfectly timed intervention.
The hosts took over and maintained pressure through the first half, though chances for Artjoms Puzirevskis and Oļģerds Raščevskis lacked precision. Alberts, meanwhile, defended compactly and waited for counters that seldom materialized.
The second half brought more drama. In the 53rd minute, Māliņš misjudged a high ball, allowing Gļebs Kļuškins a shot from a sharp angle – his effort thundered off the post. Later, a dangerous free kick saw Alberts’ keeper punch away a close-range attempt from Maksims Fjodorovs.
Alberts came closest to stealing victory in the 89th minute, when Grobiņa’s back line committed a costly mistake that left Markus Prohorenkovs alone with goalkeeper Frenks Dāvids Orols. His attempt to squeeze the ball into the near corner, however, crashed into the side netting from the wrong side.
Five minutes of stoppage time changed nothing, and the match concluded as it began: 0-0, tense and unresolved.
With everything now riding on the decisive second leg in Rīga, the chase for a Virslīga place in the 2026 season remains wide open.
FK Grobiņa vs JDFS Alberts – 0:0
