RFS start European season with victory in Belfast, two goals from Ķigurs

RFS played their first official match of the new European season on Thursday, visiting Northern Irish side Glentoran in Belfast for the first leg of the UEFA Conference League first qualifying round. The Latvian team secured a 2-1 victory.

Early in the match, RFS had a goal disallowed in the 21st minute due to a previous infringement. The hosts then took the lead in the 38th minute when Zeno Ibsen Rossi headed in from a corner kick.

RFS coach was forced to make an early substitution in the 32nd minute as Ismael Diomande picked up an injury. His replacement, Mārtiņš Ķigurs, became the hero of the match. In first-half stoppage time, Ķigurs fired home from the edge of the penalty area to make it 1-1.

Just after the hour mark, in the 70th minute, Ķigurs struck again. Receiving a pass from Stefan Panić, he unleashed a long-range shot that bounced in front of the goalkeeper and found the left corner of the net, giving RFS a 2-1 lead, which remained the final score.

In another match, Dublin's Bohemians, featuring Latvian midfielder Markus Strods, defeated Gibraltar's St. Joseph's 2-0 at home. Strods played until the 65th minute. Goals came from Douglas James-Taylor (penalty) and Conor Parsons.

The return legs are scheduled for next week. The winners advance to the second round, while the losers exit European competition. In the second round, the winner of this tie will face the loser of the UEFA Europa League qualifying pair between Qarabag (Azerbaijan) and Vestri (Iceland).

Previously reported, Liepāja won 1-0 at home against Dečić from Montenegro on Thursday, despite playing a man down from the 21st minute. Meanwhile, Latvian Cup winners Auda will face Romanian side FCSB in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League.