The football club RFS secured the Latvian Virslīga championship for the fourth time in their history following a definitive 3-0 victory at home against FK Grobiņa. Successful scoring contributions from Stefan Panic, Darko Lemajic, and Dmitrijs Zelenkovs guaranteed that the squad based in Rīga reclaimed the league trophy for the initial time since 2024, with only one round left in the competition.
Going into the penultimate round, the mission for RFS was clear: beat Grobiņa by any margin to claim the championship outright, independent of the outcome in the fixture between Riga FC and Ogre United.
Having triumphed in all three of their prior encounters against Grobiņa during the campaign, RFS began the match as heavy favourites and quickly showed their attacking intent.
The home side generated their initial clear scoring chance in the fourth minute when Slovenian defender Žiga Lipušček connected with a cross inside the box, but his header from close range flew just over the crossbar.
RFS maintained dominance over the flow of the match, though they had to wait until the 22nd minute to open the scoring.
Darko Lemajic was fouled inside the penalty area after Dāvis Družiņš grabbed the Serbian forward while trying to stop him from reaching a cross. The official blew the whistle and pointed to the penalty spot, granting RFS a prime chance to take the lead.
Stefan Panic took responsibility for the kick and successfully scored from the spot to bring the score to 1-0, pushing the hosts closer to securing the league title.
Only five minutes later, RFS extended their lead. Balde sent an exact cross in from the right side, locating Lemajic inside the box. The Serbian attacker used his strength to beat his defender and sent a forceful header past Grobiņa goalkeeper Roberts Ozols into the goal.
This second goal placed RFS securely in command and brought the team within touching distance of their fourth championship victory.
RFS maintained their dominance after the half-time break and manufactured several chances to grow their lead. Ozols was forced into action numerous times during the beginning phases of the second half, making vital stops to stop attempts from both Lemajic and Jānis Ikaunieks in quick succession.
Yet, the Grobiņa goalkeeper was powerless to stop RFS from netting an impressive third goal in the 73rd minute. Dmitrijs Zelenkovs gained possession outside the penalty box and fired a strong long-range shot into the top corner, leaving Ozols completely helpless.
This brilliant finish brought the score to 3-0 and effectively settled any remaining questions regarding the winner of the championship trophy.
With the outcome completely decided, the final minutes turned into a countdown toward the final whistle as RFS got ready to mark another league triumph.
The win officially established RFS as four-time Latvian titleholders, tying them with Riga FC at four Virslīga championships. In contemporary Latvian football history, solely FK Ventspils, holding six titles, and record-holding Skonto Riga, with 15, have claimed a higher number.
At the same time, the primary title challengers to RFS, Riga FC, endured another frustrating afternoon, ending in a scoreless draw playing away against the already-relegated Ogre United.
Riga FC required a triumph to keep any mathematical hopes of claiming the championship alive, but their chances of securing even a single victory disappeared when Mohamed Badamosi missed a penalty kick in the 88th minute.
These outcomes signify that the upcoming weekend Rīga derby match between RFS and Riga FC will hold no significance regarding the league title, as RFS has already locked down the championship ahead of the final round.
FC RFS versus FK Grobiņa ended 3-0 with a half-time score of 2-0. The goals were scored by Panic in the 22nd minute via a penalty kick, Lemajic in the 27th minute, and Zelenkovs in the 73rd minute.
Ogre United versus Riga FC concluded 0-0 with a half-time score of 0-0.
Source: balticfootballnews.com
