Georgi Harutyunyan and substitute Artur Gharibyan scored as Armenia beat Latvia 2-0 in Yerevan on Friday to make a winning start in League C of the UEFA Nations League. Latvia handed international debuts to five players but could not recover after falling behind to a first-half set piece.
Match facts
- Result: Armenia 2-0 Latvia (half-time 1-0)
- Competition: UEFA Nations League C, Group 2, Matchday 1
- Venue: Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium, Yerevan
- Scorers: Armenia - Harutyunyan 31', Gharibyan 75'
- Red cards: None
- Next: Armenia v Montenegro, Monday 28 September; Latvia v Cyprus, Monday 28 September (Skonto Stadium, Riga)
Set piece breaks the deadlock
The opening half-hour was even, with Latvia striker Vladislavs Gutkovskis twice getting into good positions. Goalkeeper Rihards Matrevics then made a fine save from a long-range effort, but Armenia scored from the corner that followed, Harutyunyan heading in Eduard Spertsyan's delivery.
Yeghishe Melikyan's side looked the quicker team for the rest of the half. Latvia coach Paolo Nicolato switched to two strikers in the second half, bringing on Roberts Uldriķis, but Armenia doubled their lead in the 75th minute. Gharibyan, on the pitch for only six minutes, finished from close range after being set up by Zhirayr Shaghoyan.
New faces for Latvia
Denniss Cirkins and Markuss Strods made their Latvia debuts in the starting line-up, while Oskars Vientiess, Alberts Aleksanjans and Danils Patijčuks came off the bench for their first caps. Captain Antonijs Černomordijs made his 50th appearance for his country.
Latvia were without the injured Jānis Ikaunieks and Kristaps Grabovskis. The result extends a difficult record against Armenia, who also beat them home and away in the 2024 Nations League.
What happens next
Both teams play again on Monday. Armenia stay in Yerevan to host Montenegro, while Latvia return home to face Cyprus at Skonto Stadium before hosting Montenegro there on 2 October. Armenia visit Cyprus on the same day.
Elsewhere in the opening round, Austria beat Israel 3-1 in Linz and Kosovo edged the Republic of Ireland 1-0 in Pristina in League B.