Latvia U19 team fights back from two-goal deficit against Georgia

Latvia's U19 national football team secured a 2:2 draw against their Georgian counterparts in a friendly match, having trailed by two goals after the first half.

Georgia took an early lead in the ninth minute through a strike from Mate Shatirishvili. The hosts then doubled their advantage in the 21st minute, when Nikoloz Barikhashvili converted a penalty kick to make it 2:0.

Latvia responded quickly, pulling one back just four minutes later. Seventeen-year-old Miķelis Menniks, who plays for Metta, scored with a precise strike to make it 1:2. That score held until halftime.

In the second half, Latvia's U19 side managed to complete the comeback. In the 73rd minute, Georgian defender Luka Kuprava put the ball into his own net, leveling the score at 2:2. No further goals were scored, and the match ended in a draw.

Upcoming fixtures

Latvia's U19 team began its European Championship qualifying campaign in May, drawing with both Slovakia and San Marino. The second qualifying round will take place in November in Bulgaria, where Latvia will face Moldova, Bulgaria and Gibraltar.