Latvian clubs make history in European qualification with three teams in third round; Auda stun FCSB
Latvia's clubs won five matches in the second round of European qualification, and for the first time ever three Latvian teams reached the third round. The highlight was Auda's 7:3 aggregate victory over Romania's FCSB.
The second qualifying round of European competitions consisted of 72 ties involving clubs from 48 countries. Latvia's representatives played eight matches, recording five wins, one draw and two defeats. That was enough to send three Latvian clubs into the third round for the first time in the country's history.
Across the whole summer, Latvia has collected ten victories, more than any other nation. Azerbaijan follows with nine, Estonia with eight and Finland with seven. In the coefficient rankings, Latvia and Azerbaijan share the lead with 2.625 points; Estonia is third with 2.500.
The most remarkable result came from Auda, who beat Romanian powerhouse FCSB 3:2 away and 4:1 at home for a 7:3 aggregate. The Latvian club, whose budget is around three million euros, produced what has been described as the most significant away win by a Latvian club in European competition. FCSB, by contrast, had a budget of about 28 million euros last season and has a much richer European pedigree. Auda's average age over the tie was only 23.3 years.
Riga also contributed to Latvia's strong showing, beating Vardar 3:2 and 5:2 across two legs. The only Latvian side to bow out in the second round was Liepaja, who lost 0:2 at home and 1:3 away to Austria Vienna. Defender Marvin Martins was sent off; he has now received two red cards in this European summer.
Latvia's early-season performance has been called historic. According to the data, the country has never collected so many coefficient points in the first two rounds since 2009. The previous best was in 2024, when Latvian clubs had seven wins and 1.875 points after the opening two rounds.
