Valmiera FC’s first team has played three more matches during the height of summer, bringing the first half of the LVBET League season to a close.
The first came on July 5 at Jānis Daliņš Stadium, where Gatis Kalniņš’s side hosted Leevon PPK. The home team wasted no time taking control, and by the 15th minute the scoreboard already read 2–0. Right-back Toki Yamamura opened the scoring before Mahmadou Dembele doubled the lead, capitalizing on a mistake by former Valmiera goalkeeper Rūdolfs Oskars Soloha and calmly scoring into an empty net from near the halfway line.
Leevon pulled one goal back early in the second half after a defensive mistake by Valmiera allowed Marks Kurtišs to score, briefly reviving the contest. However, just minutes later the visitors’ captain Gabriels Kirkils received a straight red card for deliberately striking Fraj Kairmani, reducing his team to ten men.
In the 66th minute Vladimirs Stepanovs restored Valmiera’s two-goal advantage, before Brazilian forward Gleilson sealed a convincing 4–1 victory five minutes later.
A week later, on July 12, Jānis Daliņš Stadium hosted a Latvian Cup Round of 16 clash against Virslīga side Ogre United.
The teams shared one goal each during an evenly contested first half. Valmiera’s goal came after Alekss Tkačenko won a penalty. Although the goalkeeper saved Kairmanis’ initial effort, he reacted quickest to convert the rebound.
The second half was far more dramatic. With extra time seemingly inevitable, substitute Vladimirs Stepanovs, himself a former Ogre player, brought the home crowd to its feet six minutes from time with a superb long-range strike to make it 2–1. Victory appeared within touching distance.
But football can be cruel.
Valmiera, missing defensive leader Lenny Manisa through suspension following his red card against Smiltene, defended bravely until disaster struck in the closing moments. Defender Ernests Kalniņš accidentally headed a cross into the net of his brother Haralds, leveling the match with only seconds remaining. Just minutes earlier, Valmiera had also been reduced to ten men after an unnecessary red card for Tkačenko.
Extra time became a battle for survival. With a very short bench and playing a man down, Valmiera struggled to cope, while Ogre introduced several key players. Their quality eventually made the difference as Kristers Čudars and Markuss Kalniņš combined to score the decisive goal. Ogre added another in the second period of extra time to complete a 4–2 victory and book their place in the quarter-finals.
Following that painful defeat, Kalniņš’s squad had a week to regroup before travelling to Football Centre “Rūpnīca” for the final match of the first round against Skanstes SK.
The story of that match belonged to Gleilson, who scored a hat-trick, while torrential rain and an outstanding performance from Haralds Kalniņš proved equally decisive. Skanste—effectively the development side for FK Metta—once again demonstrated their trademark aggressive style and fearless attacking football. Although Gleilson’s three goals and the 3–0 final score might suggest a comfortable afternoon, the reality was very different. Haralds produced at least three outstanding saves to keep Valmiera in front, meaning the team owed as much to its goalkeeper as to its clinical Brazilian striker.
At the halfway point of the LVBET League season, Valmiera FC sits second in the table with 32 points, two behind leaders FK Metta (34), while holding a four-point advantage over Riga Mariners (28) and a five-point lead over Leevon PPK (27).
The second round begins on July 27 at 18:00, when Riga FC-2 visits Jānis Daliņš Stadium.
See you at the match!
Tickets are available exclusively at www.valmierafc.com
