Jelgava, Latvia – The Latvian men’s handball team faced a tough challenge on Saturday, falling to Poland 33-24 in the first leg of their 2027 World Championship qualification series. Despite a spirited performance, particularly in the early stages of the match, Latvia couldn’t overcome a determined Polish side at the Zemgales Olympic Centre.
The result places Latvia in a tricky position heading into the return leg, scheduled for March 22nd in Poland. The aggregate winner of the two-match series will advance to the next qualifying round, where they will face Austria in May.
Leonards Valkovskis led the Latvian attack with six goals from 12 attempts, while Valdis Kalniņš contributed five goals on 11 shots. Though, Poland’s Mikolajs Czapliski proved unstoppable, scoring nine goals with a perfect shooting record. Piotr Jedraszczik and Kamil Syprzak each added five goals for the visitors.
This qualifying campaign comes as Latvia navigates a period of transition, with several key players unavailable due to injury. Dainis Kristopans was sidelined for these matches, and captain Jānis Pāvels Valkovskis was also absent, leading to Jevgenijs Rogonovs assuming the captaincy for the games against Poland. Endijs Kušners, playing for Hordur in Iceland’s second league, was ruled out due to an ankle injury sustained before the training camp. Emīls Kurzemnieks and Ralfs Geislers were also unavailable due to personal reasons.
Despite the setbacks, Latvia demonstrated resilience, particularly in the first half. The home side traded goals with Poland early on, even briefly taking the lead thanks to Kristers Suharevs. However, Poland’s experience and depth ultimately proved decisive, building a five-goal advantage by halftime.
The second half saw Latvia continue to battle, with goalkeeper Ritvars Putra making several key saves – including a remarkable long-range effort that briefly narrowed the gap to 18-22 in the 41st minute. Latvia managed to close within three goals (22-25) in the 48th minute, but a two-minute suspension for Artūrs Meikšāns and a strong response from the Polish team allowed them to pull away again.
Latvia’s roster included a mix of experienced players and emerging talent, with six players currently competing in foreign leagues. The squad featured players from Dobeles “Tenax”, Question/MSĢ, “Latgols”, and “Vaiņode”, showcasing the growing depth of handball talent within Latvia.
This match follows a successful first round of qualification for the 2027 World Championship, where Latvia secured victories against Luxembourg (28-20 and 34-33). They also enjoyed success in the European Championship pre-qualification, defeating Great Britain in two matches (35-27 and 40-25). These earlier wins demonstrate the program’s progress, even amidst current challenges.
The 2027 World Championship is set to feature 32 national teams, including 14 from Europe. Germany, as the host nation, and Denmark, the current world champions, have already secured their spots in the tournament.
Latvia Men’s Handball Team – Candidate Roster:
- Goalkeepers: Ritvars Putra (Dobeles “Tenax”), Niks Lagzda (“Chenois Geneve”, Switzerland), Uvis Mikāls (“Vaiņode”);
- Field Players: Kristers Suharevs, Ņikita Pančenko, Mārtiņš Misulis (all – Dobeles “Tenax”), Emīls Vilsons, Ralfs Sproģis, Justs Vidzis, Valdis Kalniņš, Krists Vidzis (all – ASK/MSĢ), Endijs Šnepsts (“Robe Zubri”, Czech Republic), Einārs Borisovs (“Latgols”), Leonards Valkovskis (“2000 Coburg”, Germany), Jevgeņijs Rogonovs (“Villa de Aranda”, Spain), Artūrs Meikšāns (Pelvas “Serviti”, Estonia), Rauls Erlends Serafimovičs (“Steffisburg”, Switzerland).
The Latvian team will now turn its attention to the return leg in Poland, knowing a significant improvement will be needed to retain their World Championship hopes alive. The match promises to be a challenging encounter, but the team will undoubtedly strive to showcase their determination and skill on the international stage.
The next confirmed checkpoint for Latvian handball fans is the return match against Poland on March 22nd. Stay tuned to Archysport for updates and analysis as the qualification campaign continues.
