Latvia at the UEFA European Football Championship

Latvia qualified once for a UEFA European Championship, the 2004 edition. After finishing second in their qualifying group, they won the two-legged play-offs against Turkey (3–2 on aggregate) to secure their first appearance at the end stage of a major tournament.[1][2] In doing so, Latvia became the first and (as of 2014) still the only Baltic team to qualify for a European Championship.[1][2]

At the Euro 2004, Latvia were drawn in Group D, alongside Germany, Czech Republic, and Netherlands.[3] Latvia faced Czech Republic in their opening match on 15 June 2004, with Māris Verpakovskis scoring before half-time.[4] However, the Czechs would later come back to win the game 2–1.[4] Four days later, Latvia earned a respectable 0–0 draw against World Cup vice-champions Germany to earn their first point in a major tournament.[5] They lost their final match with 3–0 against Netherlands,[6] and were eliminated, finished fourth, with one point from their draw and two losses.[7]

Euro 2004

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Czech Republic 330074+39
 Netherlands 311164+24
 Germany 302123–12
 Latvia 301215–41

Czech Republic vs Latvia

15 June 2004 (2004-06-15)
17:00
Czech Republic  2–1  Latvia
Baroš  73'
Heinz  85' 		Report Verpakovskis  45+1'
Czech Republic
Latvia
GK 1 Petr Čech
RB 2 Zdeněk Grygera  56'
CB 5 René Bolf
CB 21Tomáš Ujfaluši
LB 6 Marek Jankulovski
DM 4 Tomáš Galásek  64'
RM 8 Karel Poborský
CM 10Tomáš Rosický
LM 11Pavel Nedvěd (c)
CF 15Milan Baroš  87'
CF 9 Jan Koller
Substitutions:
FW 18Marek Heinz  56'
MF 7 Vladimír Šmicer  64'
DF 13Martin Jiránek  87'
Manager:
Karel Brückner
GK 1 Aleksandrs Koļinko
RB 7 Aleksandrs Isakovs
CB 4 Mihails Zemļinskis
CB 2 Igors Stepanovs
LB 6 Oļegs Blagonadeždins
RM 8 Imants Bleidelis
CM 3 Vitālijs Astafjevs (c)
CM 14Valentīns Lobaņovs  90'
LM 10Andrejs Rubins
CF 11Andrejs Prohorenkovs  71'
CF 9 Māris Verpakovskis  81'
Substitutions:
MF 5 Juris Laizāns  71'
FW 17Marians Pahars  81'
FW 23Vīts Rimkus  90'
Manager:
Aleksandrs Starkovs

Man of the Match:
Milan Baroš (Czech Republic)[8]

Assistant referees:
Frédéric Arnault (France)
Serge Vallin (France)
Fourth official:
Kyros Vassaras (Greece)

Latvia vs Germany

19 June 2004 (2004-06-19)
17:00
Latvia  0–0  Germany
Report
Estádio do Bessa, Porto
Attendance: 22,344
Referee: Mike Riley (England)
Latvia
Germany
GK 1 Aleksandrs Koļinko
RB 7 Aleksandrs Isakovs  1'
CB 4 Mihails Zemļinskis
CB 2 Igors Stepanovs
LB 6 Oļegs Blagonadeždins
RM 8 Imants Bleidelis
CM 3 Vitālijs Astafjevs (c)  79'
CM 14Valentīns Lobaņovs  70'
LM 10Andrejs Rubins
CF 11Andrejs Prohorenkovs  67'
CF 9 Māris Verpakovskis  90+2'
Substitutions:
FW 17Marians Pahars  67'
MF 5 Juris Laizāns  70'
DF 16Dzintars Zirnis  90+2'
Manager:
Aleksandrs Starkovs
GK 1 Oliver Kahn (c)
RB 3 Arne Friedrich  21'
CB 4 Christian Wörns
CB 6 Frank Baumann
LB 21Philipp Lahm
RM 19Bernd Schneider  46'
CM 8 Dietmar Hamann  42'
CM 13Michael Ballack
LM 22Torsten Frings  53'
CF 9 Fredi Bobic  67'
CF 10Kevin Kurányi  78'
Substitutions:
MF 7 Bastian Schweinsteiger  46'
FW 11Miroslav Klose  67'
FW 14Thomas Brdaric  78'
Manager:
Rudi Völler

Man of the Match:
Michael Ballack (Germany)[9]

Assistant referees:
Philip Sharp (England)
Glenn Turner (England)
Fourth official:
Alain Hamer (Luxrmbourg)

Netherlands vs Latvia

23 June 2004 (2004-06-23)
19:45
Netherlands  3–0  Latvia
Van Nistelrooy  27' (pen.), 35'
Makaay  84' 		Report
Netherlands
Latvia
GK 1 Edwin van der Sar
RB 2 Michael Reiziger
CB 3 Jaap Stam
CB 15Frank de Boer (c)
LB 5 Giovanni van Bronckhorst
CM 20Clarence Seedorf
CM 6 Phillip Cocu
CM 8 Edgar Davids  77'
RW 7 Andy van der Meyde  63'
LW 19Arjen Robben
CF 10Ruud van Nistelrooy  70'
Substitutions:
MF 16Marc Overmars  63'
FW 12Roy Makaay  70'
MF 14Wesley Sneijder  77'
Manager:
Dick Advocaat
GK 1 Aleksandrs Koļinko
RB 7 Aleksandrs Isakovs
CB 4 Mihails Zemļinskis
CB 2 Igors Stepanovs
LB 6 Oļegs Blagonadeždins
RM 8 Imants Bleidelis  83'
CM 14Valentīns Lobaņovs  53'
CM 3 Vitālijs Astafjevs (c)
LM 10Andrejs Rubins
SS 11Andrejs Prohorenkovs  74'
CF 9 Māris Verpakovskis  62'
Substitutions:
FW 17Marians Pahars  62'
MF 5 Juris Laizāns  74'
MF 19Andrejs Štolcers  83'
Manager:
Aleksandrs Starkovs

Man of the Match:
Ruud van Nistelrooy (Netherlands)[10]

Assistant referees:
Jens Larsen (Denmark)
Jørgen Jepsen (Denmark)
Fourth official:
Lucílio Batista (Portugal)

Overview

Latvian fans at Euro 2004
UEFA European Championship record
Year Round Position GP W D* L GS GA
1960 to 1992 Part of  Soviet Union
1996 to 2000 Did not qualify
Portugal 2004 Group Stage 14th 3 0 1 2 1 5
2008 to 2012 Did not qualify
France 2016 To be determined
Total Group Stage 1/14 3 0 1 2 1 5

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Joyful Latvia make history". Unions of European Football Associations. 20 November 2003. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  2. 1 2 "Latvia claim historic win". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 19 November 2003. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  3. ↑ "Euro 2004 draw". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  4. 1 2 "Czech Rep 2–1 Latvia". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 15 June 2004. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  5. ↑ "Latvia 0–0 Germany". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 19 June 2004. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  6. ↑ "Holland 3–0 Latvia". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 23 June 2004. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  7. ↑ "Group D". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 28 May 2004. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  8. ↑ "Milan Baroš". Union of European Football Associations. 15 June 2004. Archived from the original on 24 June 2004. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
  9. ↑ "Michael Ballack". Union of European Football Associations. 19 June 2004. Archived from the original on 24 June 2004. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
  10. ↑ "Ruud van Nistelrooij". Union of European Football Associations. 23 June 2004. Archived from the original on 26 June 2004. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
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