Every run and every streak eventually comes to an end, and that was the case for Valmiera FC as well, suffering their first loss of the season in Round 8 of the LVBET League — a 1–3 away defeat against Riga Mariners, ending a seven-match unbeaten streak.
Compared to previous matches, head coach Gatis Kalniņš was without Rojs Bušs, who had travelled with the Latvia U19 national team to San Marino for European Championship qualifying matches. Taking his place in the starting lineup was Papé Doudou, making his first starting eleven for the team.
Last year, Riga Mariners left painful memories for Valmiera after knocking them out of the Latvian Cup in a dramatic 3–4 extra-time thriller. Saturday’s rematch felt eerily familiar — two evenly matched teams desperate for victory, a match played in front of nearly empty stands, and once again, only Valmiera’s loyal supporters bringing life to the atmosphere. Without them, it might have felt like playing somewhere around Pskov.
Interestingly, just like the cup thriller a year ago on Midsummer’s Eve, this match was also officiated by referee Deniss Kozlovs. And the outcome? Almost identical — another tense and dramatic encounter ending in defeat for Valmiera. Conspiracy theorists would surely have plenty to discuss.
Overall, the match itself was evenly contested. Midway through the first half, Doudou produced a brilliant through ball to Gleilson, who calmly finished to put Valmiera ahead — 1–0. The lead lasted until the 52nd minute, when a lapse in Valmiera’s defense allowed Artjoms Pavlovskis to equalize from close range — 1–1.
After that, Valmiera controlled much of the game, with most Mariners attacks being stopped by Lenny Manisa and the rest of the defense. Yet for the second match in a row, Valmiera’s attack struggled to convert chances, including top scorer Mamadou Dembele, despite his tireless efforts.
The foundations of defeat, however, were laid by Valmiera themselves through costly mistakes. Within six minutes, goalkeeper Haralds Kalniņš endured a nightmare moment, letting a free kick from former Valmiera player Richmond Owusu slip through his hands — 1–2. Soon after, his brother Ernests Kalniņš misjudged a header, accidentally setting up Andrejs Poļuhovičs, who squared the ball for Algirdas Gražis to finish into an empty net — 1–3.
There were still around 20 minutes left to play — plenty of time for a comeback. Valmiera pushed forward relentlessly toward Vladislavs Kurakins’s goal, but lacked the precision, composure, and quality needed to turn pressure into goals.
After six wins and one draw, Valmiera FC finally tasted defeat for the first time this season and temporarily dropped to third place in the standings.
Next Tuesday, May 26 at 20:00, Valmiera will look to return to winning ways against SK Super Nova-2 at the Krasts Sports Base in Riga.
We’ll be waiting for your support in the capital once again.
