Paolo Nicolato Calls Latvia Performance Promising Despite Montenegro Defeat

Latvian national football team hosted group leader Montenegro at Skonto Stadium in Riga for a UEFA Nations League C fixture, falling short in a defeat that extended a scoreless drought while testing the tactical adjustments of head coach Paolo Nicolato, as reported by local sports media.

Skonto Stadium Clash Sets Group Pace

The fixture kicked off at 19.00 local time (17.00 UTC) with Montenegro arriving as the highest-ranked team in the group at 80th in the FIFA rankings, according to match documentation. Montenegro built their early group standing on tight victories, defeating Cyprus 2-1 and Armenia 3-2 with late goals in the 86th and 89th minutes respectively. Atalanta forward Nikola Krstović provided a goal in each of those matches, adding to a club resume that featured 10 and 11 goals in the previous two Serie A seasons. Fellow attacker Milutins Osmajič also features in Serie A, while veteran Stevan Jovetić—holding the national team records with 93 appearances and 37 goals—continued to support the squad from his club base in Cyprus. Match coverage noted that Liepāja reserve goalkeeper Danijels Petkovič and Olympiacos netminder Balsa Popovič rounded out the opposing roster options.

Latvia Struggles with Early Goals Despite Possession Focus

Latvia entered the contest having failed to find the back of the net in three consecutive matches, recording only a single shot on target across previous fixtures against Armenia and Cyprus. Midfielder Vapne noted in post-match comments reported by Sportacentrs.com that the team attempted to execute Nicolato’s instructions regarding ball control and playing out from the back, despite conceding an early goal in the third minute. We played the way the coach wanted us to play in terms of possession, but conceding early makes it difficult against a technical side, Vapne remarked on the team’s initial approach. Latvia adjusted by splitting into two units of five to press selectively when triggers allowed, though defensive lapses allowed Montenegro to double their advantage in the 56th minute. Left-back Denniss Cirkins remained available for the fixture following an agreement with Queens Park Rangers, despite a suspension stemming from club play.

Nicolato Points to Future Promise Despite Result

Following the final whistle, head coach Paolo Nicolato defended the team’s overall trajectory in quotes published by the Latvian Football Federation (LFF). It is one of our best performances in recent years, and if there is a right way to lose, this is it because we did everything we could, Nicolato stated. The manager brought pre-match statistics to his press conference highlighting past win rates to contextualize the current rebuilding phase, noting the integration of younger prospects such as Kristers Čudars, Markuss Strods. Latvia previously split results against Montenegro during the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, recording a draw and a loss.

Latvia Seeks Turnaround After Loss to Cyprus

The defeat left Latvia seeking a turnaround in the second half of the UEFA Nations League C group phase. The team concluded the international window with an away fixture against Cyprus, where Eduards Dašķevičs scored his first international goal in a 1-2 loss that was decided in stoppage time. Team leadership indicated that squad rotation remains a priority as suspensions to personnel such as Kaspars Černomordijs force adjustments ahead of upcoming fixtures.