Latvia Handball Team Faces Poland: Key Players, Injuries & World Championship Qualifiers

Jelgava, Latvia – The Latvian men’s handball team faced a tough challenge in their 2027 World Championship qualification campaign, falling to a strong Polish side 33-24 on Thursday at the Zemgales Olympic Centre. Despite a spirited performance, particularly in the early stages, Latvia couldn’t overcome the precision and power of the Polish attack.

This first leg of the qualification second round sees Latvia facing an uphill battle. The return match is scheduled for March 22nd in Poland, where the winner on aggregate will advance to the decisive stage, facing Austria for a spot in the World Championship group tournament. The stakes are high as 32 nations will compete in the 2027 championship, including host nation Germany and defending champions Denmark.

Leonards Valkovskis led the Latvian scoring with six goals from 12 attempts, while Valdis Kalniņš added five goals on 11 shots. However, it was Poland’s Mikolajs Czapliski who stole the show, scoring nine goals on a perfect nine shots – a remarkable display of accuracy. Polish players Piotr Jedraszczik and Kamil Syprzak also contributed significantly, each scoring five goals from seven attempts.

The Latvian team entered the match with a young roster, boasting an average age of just under 21 years. This inexperience was compounded by a significant number of absences due to injury and personal reasons. Dainis Kristopans was sidelined with an injury, and captain Jānis Pāvels Valkovskis was also unavailable, leading to Jevgeņijs Rogonov being named captain for these matches. Further compounding the issues, Endijs Kušners, playing for Icelandic second-division club Hordur, suffered an ankle injury before the training camp, and Emīls Kurzemnieks and Ralfs Geislers were unable to participate due to family commitments.

Despite the challenges, Latvia started brightly. The opening minutes were a fast-paced affair, with both teams trading goals. Kristeris Suharevs even managed to put Latvia ahead, 4-3, early in the game. This quick tempo initially favored the home side, while Poland attempted to slow the pace with a more positional attack. Valkovskis capitalized on a penalty, extending Latvia’s lead to 9-7, but Poland quickly regained their composure.

The second half proved more tricky for Latvia. Poland began to assert their dominance, building a three-goal lead, 11-14. While Rogonov managed to reduce the deficit, Poland continued to extend their advantage, leading 12-17 at halftime. Latvia attempted a comeback in the second half, but the Polish defense proved too strong.

Latvian goalkeeper Rihards Putra delivered a standout performance, making 11 saves throughout the match. He even contributed a goal himself, throwing the ball into an empty net, and initiating a fast break that resulted in a goal for Einars Borisovs. However, even Putra’s efforts weren’t enough to swing the momentum in Latvia’s favor.

This qualification journey follows a successful first round for Latvia, where they defeated Luxembourg in two away matches (28-20 and 34-33). They also enjoyed success in the European Championship pre-qualification, defeating Great Britain in both encounters (35-27 and 40-25). The current roster includes six players based at foreign clubs, alongside 11 representing Latvian teams such as Dobeles “Tenax”, ASK/MSĢ, “Latgols”, and “Vaiņode”.

The Latvian team will require to regroup quickly and address the challenges exposed in this first match. The return leg in Poland will be a significant test, requiring a substantial improvement in both attack and defense to have any chance of progressing to the next stage of qualification. The team will need to find ways to counter Poland’s efficient attack and capitalize on their own opportunities.

The next match against Poland on March 22nd will be crucial for Latvia’s World Championship aspirations. Fans can follow updates on the Latvian Handball Federation website ([https://handball.lv/](https://handball.lv/)) for the latest news and information.