Latvia’s national football team lost 1-2 to Montenegro in Podgorica on Thursday, conceding a decisive goal in stoppage time while playing with a numerical advantage.
The defeat eliminates Latvia from promotion contention in the UEFA Nations League C Group.
Montenegro secured the top spot and Latvia finished last in the four-team group table. Latvia, who earned their lone point from a draw with Cyprus, saw their chances of advancing disappear despite a strong performance against the group leaders.
Latvian midfielder Eduards Dašķevičs told Sportacentrs.com that the team felt control of the game shifted after Montenegro was reduced to 10 players. “In my opinion, we played quite well, even better than the Montenegrin team, especially in the first half,” Dašķevičs said.
“After Montenegro got the red card, maybe we started to think that the game was already over and we would simply win. But unfortunately, that was not the case.”
Key Moments in Podgorica
The match, played in heavy rain on a saturated pitch in Montenegro’s capital, began with Montenegro on the front foot. Latvia’s defense held firm, with goalkeeper Rihards Matrevic making a save in the 11th minute to keep the score level early on.
The game’s turning point came in the 57th minute. Montenegro captain Stefan Savič, already on a yellow card, received a second booking for aggressive dissent toward the referee after a foul on Latvia’s Denis Cirkin, resulting in a red card and leaving Montenegro to play the remainder of the match with 10 men.
Seizing the advantage, Latvia equalized in the 72nd minute. Deniss Meļņiks, scoring his first international goal for the national team, found the net to make it 1-1. The goal came shortly after Montenegro had taken the lead, setting up a tense final period where Latvia appeared to be in control.
Despite the numerical advantage and the momentum, Latvia could not protect their lead. In the first minute of stoppage time, Montenegro scored the winner. Aleksa Marašs struck from the goal line to secure a 2-1 victory for the hosts, condemning Latvia to a frustrating defeat.
Meļņiks Searches for Answers After Team Collapse
Meļņiks, the goalscorer, was left searching for answers after the team’s collapse in the final moments. “I wasn’t particularly happy at that moment because there was no time to celebrate – we immediately took the ball to restart the game and go for the second goal,” Meļņiks told Sportacentrs.com.
He added that the team’s performance had been enjoyable until Montenegro was reduced to 10 players. “When the opponents were reduced to 10, our game just stopped. I don’t have an answer why. We just stopped on the pitch and that was it,” Meļņiks said.
Roberts Uldriķis, who had several opportunities to score, was critical of his own performance in the final third. “As well as I played in midfield, helping the midfielders and doing the dirty work, as poorly I played in the final moments of the attack,” Uldriķis said, describing his feelings about the game as “mixed.”
He also lamented a recurring theme of bad luck, referencing a previous match against Montenegro in Riga where his shots hit the post three times. “To hit the post three times against one team… it seems harder than scoring three goals. It’s a great pity, it could have been different, we could have had six points in the table, I could have had three goals,” Uldriķis added.
Coach’s Perspective on Growth
Latvia’s head coach, addressed the media after the match, focusing on the need for improvement in critical moments. “The difference in performance between us and our opponents is only in decisive moments,” Nikolato explained, according to the Latvian Football Federation. He drew a parallel to a recent match against Cyprus, where Latvia felt they played well but were beaten in key situations.
Nikolato emphasized that while the results have not always favored his team, the overall performance level has been high. “We evaluate our performance not only by the result. It’s very simple to evaluate by the result – if you win, it’s good, if you lose, it’s bad. But that’s not the way I evaluate the team’s performance,” he said.
He added that Latvia needs to become more clinical in front of goal and learn to capitalize on their opportunities, a challenge at the international level.
The coach also commented on the tactical roles of certain players, noting that Jānis Ikauniekkams is best suited on the flank in a 3-4-3 formation to support the forwards, while Denis Cirkin can play as a wing-back or a central defender. This insight came as the team continues to build its identity under Nikolato’s system.
What’s Next for Latvia
With their fate in the group already sealed, Latvia will conclude their Nations League campaign on Sunday when they host Armenia at the Skonto Stadium in Riga. While the result against Armenia will not change their standing in the group, it presents an opportunity to build momentum and secure a positive result heading into future competitions.
As reported by LSM, teams finishing third or fourth in the C League groups will remain at that level for the 2028/29 cycle. Latvia’s focus will now shift to refining their performance and addressing the issues that have prevented them from securing more positive results, particularly in decisive moments of matches.
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