Group 4: Latvia long for revenge

By Pavle Gognidze

Latvia have plenty of incentive to perform against San Marino on Wednesday, with pride as well as points a factor.

Additional spur
A victory will take the Latvians top of their UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifying group but an additional spur should be the memory of the sides' last meeting in the qualifier for the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Laizans switch
In November 2000, Latvia, led by Englishman Gary Johnson, made a relatively successful trip to San Marino, winning 1-0 through an Aleksandrs Elisejevs goal on nine minutes. That game was notable for Juris Laizans' switch from defence to central midfield for the first time by Johnson - a move that allowed the PFC CSKA Moskva player to develop into the chief creator in the Latvia side that he is today.

Missing man
Ironically, Laizans himself will not be there to help Aleksandrs Starkovs' men in San Marino after a mutual agreement between the Latvia Football Federation (LFF) and CSKA, who was decided that the midfielder, who scored the winning goal in October's Group 4 qualifier against Poland, would be free to play instead in the Russian title play-off against FC Lokomotiv Moskva on Thursday.

Unhappy memory
Back to history and the home game against San Marino on 25 April 2001 is one whose memory Latvia's players are looking to exorcise. Marians Pahars scored in the very first minute as Latvia sought their first home win in qualifying but a 60th-minute equaliser by Nicola Albani allowed the minnows to earn the first away point in their history. Johnson was sacked afterwards and Starkovs took over.

Eyeing top spot
Laizans apart, all of Latvia's key players are fit and available for the game, with FC Skonto's Vladimirs Kolesnicenko expected to replace the CSKA midfield player in the creative role. The Latvians, who will face San Marino in the return fixture on 30 April next year, realise that a win will put them top of a group - which also includes Hungary, Sweden and Poland - until spring at the earliest. They sit second at present, level on four points with Hungary, while San Marino are bottom after two defeats.

'We owe our fans'
"If we win, we have a very good chance in this qualification campaign," said Latvia captain Vitalijs Astafjevs, who plays in England for Bristol Rovers FC. Defender Olegs Blagonadezdins said: "We well remember how the press criticised us after that draw in Riga. We well remember that because of that game we lost our coach. We have no option but to win: we owe something to our fans in this one."