Valmiera FC kicked off the second stage of the Altero.lv LIIGA in style, travelling to Baldone and defeating FK Ķekava/Auda with a confident 4:0 performance.
Played in rainy conditions, the match was lively, with the ball moving quickly between players — though the wet turf occasionally caused passes to skid past their intended target. Football is a simple game, but it becomes trickier when you must adapt to the weather.
Gatis Kalniņš’s side was clearly better prepared for the conditions, being used to training regularly on the club’s well-maintained natural grass pitch.
The opener came in the 13th minute, when Ēriks Maurs-Boks delivered a pinpoint long ball into the box for the lightning-fast Japanese forward Yusuke Omori, who controlled it in two quick touches before finishing — 1:0. Barely two minutes later, Omori doubled the lead in similar fashion — 2:0.
The hosts could only occasionally threaten Haralds Kalniņš’s goal in the first half. After the two early strikes, Valmiera’s attack also stalled somewhat, creating fewer dangerous moments before the break.
The second half started with a scare for the visitors, as Audas struck the crossbar. But as the saying goes: if you don’t score, you get scored on. In the 50th minute, Omori completed his hat-trick after a precise cross from Ritvars Krists Zauska — a brilliant night for the Valmiera striker.
The final blow came in the 76th minute, when Aleks Tkačenko reacted quickly to a rebound, finishing calmly from close range to make it 4:0.
Next up, Valmiera FC returns home to face FK Salaspils on Sunday, August 31, at 14:00 at Jānis Daliņš Stadium.
All fans are welcome — come support the team!
