Historic First: 'Riga' Women Overcome Wrexham to Advance in Champions League
Latvian women's football club 'Riga' made history by overcoming a first-half deficit to defeat Wales's 'Wrexham' 4-1 and advance past the first qualifying round of the UEFA Women's Champions League for the first time.
A Landmark Achievement
The Latvian women's football champions 'Riga' achieved a historic first for Latvian clubs tonight, advancing past the first qualifying round of the UEFA Women's Champions League. In the final in Wales, they came from behind to beat hosts 'Wrexham' 4-1.
Match Details
Wrexham took the lead in the 8th minute when Lily Jones scored from 15 meters after a set piece (1-0). In the first half, 'Riga' had to make a forced substitution due to an injury to Līva Šteinberga. But the second half saw a complete turnaround.
In the 50th minute, a Japanese combination led to the equalizer: Minamo Oi headed in from Shiori Kato's cross (1-1). Four minutes later, a defensive error allowed Sierra Leone striker Kumba Brima to go one-on-one and make it 2-1. In the 65th minute, Wakana Mitani found 16-year-old Laura Kallase in the box, who had come on as a substitute in the first half, for 3-1. Kato capped the scoring in the 80th minute from the edge of the area (4-1).
Statistics and Lineup
'Riga' dominated statistically: shots 19-8, shots on target 9-2, corners 7-2. The starting lineup featured five Japanese players, four Latvians, one Sierra Leonean, and one Azerbaijani. Wrexham's lineup had five Welsh, four English, one Canadian, and one Jamaican.
Road to Victory
In the semifinals, 'Riga' had beaten Northern Ireland's 'Glentoran' 4-1. In the third-place match, 'Glentoran' defeated Armenia's 'Pyunik' 4-2, while 'Wrexham' had beaten 'Pyunik' 4-2 in the semifinals. Also advancing was Poland's 'Czarni Sosnowiec' with Latvian national team star Karlīna Miksone in the starting lineup, beating Ireland's 'Athlone Town' 3-1 at home. Miksone played the full match.
Next Stage
'Riga' will face 'Koge' in the semifinals on August 5 in Denmark. The other semifinal is between Lithuania's 'Gintra' and Scotland's 'Hearts'. The final winner advances to the third qualifying round, while second and third place finishers continue in the newly established European Cup in 2025. In the Champions League, three qualifying rounds lead to the league phase of 18 teams.
Historical Context
Latvian clubs have participated in the Women's Champions League since 2011. In the first nine attempts, they finished last in their group eight times and third once. In 2020, a knockout format saw the Latvian club eliminated in the first round. Since 2021, mini-tournaments have been used. This was the third time in four seasons 'Riga' reached the final, having previously lost to the hosts: in 2023, 0-4 to Benfica, and last year, 1-2 to Racing Union Luxembourg.
Domestically, 'Riga' has won all 11 league matches with a goal difference of 90-2, though RFS currently leads with 12 wins in 14 games.
