The Latvian and Estonian men’s soccer teams will play the semi-final of the Baltic Cup at the “Daugavas” stadium today. The match will kick off at 7.00pm, broadcast live on TV6.
Lithuania and Iceland will meet in the second semifinal in Kaunas at 20:00. The winners of both duels will compete in the final on November 19, while the losers of the semi-finals will compete for third place on the same day. In the event of a tie, the penalty shoot-out will be played without extra time. In the event that the Latvian national team meets Iceland on November 19, the match will take place right there at the “Daugavas” stadium. If the opponent of the Latvian national team match on November 19 is Lithuania, the match will take place on the rival’s field.
Due to injuries, Kaspars Dubra and Vladislavs Gutkovskis will be unable to help the Latvian national team in November, while Kristers Tobers will be busy at his Polish club. All other regular members of the Latvian national team, who represent foreign clubs on a daily basis, will be able to join the national team.
Compared to the squad from September’s training camp, Renārs Varslavāns and Ilya Korotkovs return to the national team this time around, while goalkeeper Nils Toms Puriņš and defender Ivo Minkevičs have been invited to the national team for the first time. They, along with Daniel Balodi, Emil Birk, Korotkov and Maksim Tonisheva, are among six potential newcomers in this field.
Estonia is the national team Latvia has played against most often, with both teams having competed 60 times. Latvia have won 28 times, a draw has been recorded 21 times and Estonians have won 11 times. The goal difference is 94:62 in favor of the Latvian national team. The Baltic Cup is the oldest still running national football tournament in the world. The Baltic Cup was played for the first time in 1928. In the past the tournament was held every year, but since the turn of the century the teams compete every other year for the honor of the best national team in the region.
The current holders of the trophy are Estonia, but the previous four times the cup went to the Latvian national team.
Latvian national team candidate for the Baltic Cup
Goalkeepers: Pavel Šteinbor (RFS), Rihards Matrevics (“Valmiera”), Nils Toms Puriņš (“Riga”);
Defenders: Igors Tarasovs (“Ypsonas”, Cyprus), Roberts Savalnieks (“Liepāja”), Raivis Andris Jurkovskis, Antonijs Chernomodijs (both – “Riga”), Elvis Stuglis, Vladislavs Sorokins (both – RFS), Daniels Balodis, Emils Birka ( both – “Valmiera”), Ivo Minkevičs (“Auda”);
Midfielders: Ilya Korotkovs (“Riga”), Artūrs Zyuzins (RFS), Jānis Ikaunieks (Kuopio “Palloseura”, Finland), Andrejs Tsiganiks (“FC DAC 1904”, Slovakia), Alvis Jaunzems (“Valmiera”), Eduards Emsis (“Lahti , Finland), Aleksej Saveljevs (“Auda”), Renārs Varslavāns (RFS), Maksims Toniševs (“Valmiera”);
Forwards: Dāvis Ikaunieks (“Jablonec”, Czech Republic), Roberts Uldriķis (“Cambuur” from Leeuwarden, The Netherlands), Raimonds Krollis (“Valmiera”).
