RFS head coach Viktor Moroz has pointed to the poor pitch conditions at the Ta’ Qali National Stadium as a decisive factor in last week’s first leg against Ħamrun Spartans and is expecting a tough tie against the Malta champions in a bid to secure a place in the League Phase of the UEFA Conference League.
The Latvian side are bidding to secure a third participation in the League Phase of a UEFA club competition but must overturn a 1-0 first-leg defeat at the LNK Sporta Parks Stadium on Thursday evening (kick-off: 7pm).
“Of course, we analysed the first leg and the pitch conditions were very bad. Because of that, we had to change our playing style,” Moroz told during the pre-game press conference.
“Ħamrun Spartans is a strong team, and for them it was not easy to play on that pitch either. In better conditions, they do play a better style of football. I don’t think it will be a big advantage, but it will be more comfortable for both sides.”
The game in Ta’ Qali was scrappy throughout, with the Maltese champions clinching a 1-0 victory thanks to Saliou Thioune’s second-half goal, created by their aggressive pressing, which forced RFS into a costly error.
Moroz admitted his team must now show a much-improved performance in Thursday’s decisive second leg at Riga’s LNK Sporta Parks.
“We always need to improve,” he continued. “It was not a good picture of our playing style last week. If we want to play better football, we need to improve in many situations.”
At stake is more than just qualification pride. Victory would see RFS reach the main stage of a UEFA club competition for the third time in their history, securing a fixed payment of €3.17 million, a transformative sum for clubs in smaller European leagues.
The Riga-based side first made history in 2022 by reaching the UEFA Conference League group stages.
Last season they went further, qualifying for the Europa League League Phase, where they famously defeated Ajax 1-0.
With these achievements, RFS became the only club from the Baltic region to play twice in the main stage of UEFA competitions.
Defender Roberts Savalnieks, who was part of last season’s campaign, underlined the importance of experience going into this decisive clash.
“Experience can help in small moments, but every match is different. You always need to play your match and be at your best to qualify,” he said.
Savalnieks, 32, has 67 caps for Latvia and has been part of his national team’s last two matches against Malta – a 1-1 draw at Ta’ Qali and a 1-0 defeat in Riga, in the 2020 UEFA Nations League edition.
Founded in the mid-2010s as an offshoot of a youth academy, RFS have risen quickly to the top of Latvian football.
They have claimed three Virslīga titles since 2019, along with three Latvian Cups, a Super Cup and the Livonian Cup.
Their success has been underpinned by investment from LNK Industries, which has also supported the development of modernn facilities such as LNK Sporta Parks.
Thursday’s match will be played in front of a sold-out crowd of 1,800, on a pristine grass surface – a far cry from the challenges of Ta’ Qali.
Moroz expects both sides to showcase a truer version of their football in Riga, though he was quick to praise Ħamrun’s qualities.
“They have a good tactical system, they are collective and strong in both defensive and attacking phases,” he said. “They have speed, aggressive players, and they press very well – in fact, they scored their goal thanks to their pressing. It will be a very tough match.”
For RFS, it is another opportunity to cement their reputation as Latvia’s most ambitious football project and to prove that last week’s struggles were more about the surface than the side itself.
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