The Latvian women’s soccer team conceded to Austria on Friday, September 17, in Liepaja in the first game of the 2023 World Cup (WC) qualification cycle with the result 1: 8 (1: 2).
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Viktorija Zaičikova scored the goal for the Latvian national team.
Opponent Austrians are the winners of the 2017 European Championship bronze medal and were undoubted favorites in this match. However, it was the guests who were the first to pull the ball out of their goal. In the 12th minute, after Anastasia Ročāne’s long pass, Zaičikova nominated Latvia, who surprised the opponents’ guards in the penalty area.
However, five minutes later Marija Terēze Hēbinger got the ball from Enija Anna Vaivode and scored the second attempt. After 30 minutes of play, the visitors broke through on the right after some poor defending.
In the second half, in the 61st minute, Barbara Dunsta strengthened the visitors’ lead, but after two minutes Karīna Veningere reached 4: 1. In the 79th minute of the match, Billa scored an 11-meter penalty kick, but by the end of the duel, Laura Faierzinger also scored for Austria and Katja Vīnerreitere stood out twice.
On September 21, the Latvians will fight with Northern Ireland on the way out.
The next opponent of Latvian footballers in subgroup D Northern Ireland defeated Luxembourg at home with 4: 0 (3: 0). England celebrated a double victory, destroying Northern Macedonia with their result 8: 0 (3: 0).
Roman Kvačov makes his debut as head coach in this selection cycle. He has previously led the women’s U-17 and U-15 national teams, and for several years has been the assistant head coach of the national team. The head coach is assisted by Edgars Klibus, Anna Poņatovska and Mark Bogdanov in working with the team.
The World Cup qualifiers will end in September next year. The next World Cup final is scheduled for 2023 in New Zealand and Australia.
This time, the European Confederation Zone has 11 seats in the final tournament, which for the first time in history will gather 32 strongest teams from all over the world. Previously, 16 and 24 national teams participated in the finals.
The previous World Cup qualification was in a different format. At that time, the Latvian national team won the second place in the qualifying round with Kazakhstan, Georgia and Estonia, winning one victory (4: 0 over Estonia) and two draws (2: 2 with Kazakhstan, 1: 1 with Georgia).
List of candidates for the Latvian women’s football team:
Goalkeepers: Laura Siņutkina (“Metta”), Enija Anna Vaivode (without club), Alīna Skļemenova (“Super Nova”);
Defenders: Anastasia Ročāne (CCP “Medyk”, Poland), Laura Sondore (Limassol “Aris”, Cyprus), Ligita Tumāne (“Spezia”, Italy), Alise Gaiķe (“Super Nova”), Arta Luīze Lubiņa, Kristīne Evelīna Lodziņa (both – “Metta”), Sofija Garanča (Rezekne BJSS);
Half-guards: Signija Šenberga, Evelīna Freidenfelde (both – “Liepāja Football School”), Kristīne Giržda, Selga Penelope Vitmore (both – “Super Nova”), Sofija Gergeležis, Anna Marija Valaka (both – “Riga Football School”), Tatjana Baličeva (“Altach” / “Vorderland”, Austria), Nikola Brahman (“Auda”), Karlina Miksone (Konin “CCPK Medyk”, Poland), Sandra Voitāne (“Wacker”, Innsbruck, Austria), Viktorija Zaičikova (Westmannaeijer IBV, Iceland) );
Attackers: Olga Shevtsova (Westmannaeyer IBV, Iceland), Renate Fedotova (“Pink Bari”, Italy), Juta Buklovska (“Super Nova”).
