I’m happy with our performance / day

It has already been reported that the Latvian men’s football team played a draw against Albania in the 2026 World Cup qualifying match with a 1: 1 (1: 1) draw.

« I’m happy with our performance, » said Nikolato, not going to speculation, how the game could turn out if Janis Ikaunieks had a penalty kick. « I assume the game could go another direction, but we generally created good moments. »

« Sometimes this happens. His performance was good in this game. I didn’t appreciate the footballers by their mistakes, but based on their performance, » Nikolato said of the performance of Ikaunieks.

The head coach of the Latvian national team repeatedly praised the players’ performance, adding that several of them, including striker Vladislav Gutkovsky, were previously injured.

« Our footballers played as well as they could. It must also be taken into account that the opponent is much higher than us, » Nicholato emphasized.

Latvian footballers had more standard situations in this match than in previous games. And after one of them, with a quick corner kick, Antoni Chernomordy scored a goal for the Latvian team.

« After the test game, we worked exactly these blows, so we were quite good at the standard, » admitted Nikolato, who also mentioned that Latvian footballers need to improve their performance in the final third of the field.

The next two qualifying games will be in September, and until then the coaching team will follow the football players in their clubs. Nikolato also emphasized the importance of internal competition in the development of the team.

« This is very important. I want to improve internal competition because I believe it is a good result. If there is no competition, it is difficult to create a game, » Nicholato said.

In the June match, team captain Krister Tobers could not be helped by the Latvian team, with a minor injury during the Cup winner.

« He had a knee problem and didn’t want to risk him. We want to maintain a good relationship with the club because he is an important player, » Nicholato said.

In Group K, England has nine points in three matches, Albania has scored five in four battles, Serbia and Latvia have four points in two and three games respectively, but Andorra has not scored in four ducks.

Latvia beat Andorra in the first two qualifying tournament games with a 1-0 loss and lost to England by 0: 3.

The World Cup finals from the European area will qualify for 16 teams – 12 group winners, while the play -offs will participate in the 12 second place winners and the top four winners of the 2024/2025 season UEFA Nations League groups, which will be outside the top two.

The World Cup finals will take place in Canada, Mexico and the US in June and July 2026. For the first time in this final, 48 teams will play for the first time.