TOP SIX A BIGGER PROSPECT AFTER WIN
28 / 08 / 2016
Salaspils FS 
Riga United have moved a step in the right direction after Saturday’s home win.
Date published: 28/08/2016 - 14:07
Riga United FC 3-2 Salaspils FS
Melņiks, 60'
Possagno, 69'
Pērkons, 82'
A good performance was needed yesterday, if United were to have a
hope of really challenging for a ‘top 6’ finish this season. They
did just that with a fine second half performance that saw them
beat Salaspils, at home, 3-2. All the United goals came in the
second half from Slava Melņiks, Fabio Possagno and Ervīns Pērkons.
With three games left, Riga find themselves in 7th place and just
two points behind 4th.
Before the game, missing captain Alex Alunāns was cautiously
optimistic about United’s chances, as long as the United players
did their job. The players repaid his faith and optimism. The first
half saw Riga leave the fans and Mo Awada scratching their heads,
as they didn’t play badly but they could have played so much
better. After a good talking to by Awada at half time, the players
came out and gave a very different and combative performance.
Awada said after the game: “The first half was the story of
our season so far. Without playing that well we created three very
good openings, which we failed to convert. Salaspils were able to
score from their only chance of the half. We ‘sat off’ too much and
gave them far too much time on the ball. In the second half we
worked harder in closing them down. We spoke at half time about
taking our chances and being more composed in our finishing.”
He continued: “The work rate and finishing in the 2nd half was
outstanding. We scored three beautifully worked and taken goals.
The players did a great job in the second half and fully deserved
the win.”
The first half got off very sluggishly from both sides. It seemed
neither side was looking to take the initiative and stood off from
each other. A few chances from either side from long range but
nothing challenging. United started to look dangerous with the set
pieces, though no one could get on the end of them.
Midway in the first half, United fell asleep defensively when a
dangerous shot came in from Salaspils, though Kelkit did very well
to get on the end of it and deflect it on to the crossbar, none of
the United players reacted and the Salaspils player just tapped the
ball into the goal from the rebound.
The Black Cats, couldn’t really get going in the first half,
despite trying, they were far too wasteful with the ball and didn’t
pressure the opposition’s players enough. It was a somewhat
frustrating performance.
In the second half United came out with with different attitude and
played with more urgency and purpose. Again, United looked very
good with set pieces throughout the half and it took them 15
minutes to find the equaliser. A corner came in, Melņiks
picked the ball up with his back to the goal, turned and shot low
across the face of the goal. With full momentum, it took United a
further nine minutes to get ahead in the game. In the 69th minute,
a United free kick came in and the ever-present, tenacious
midfielder Fabio Possagno, took advantage of a defensive mix-up and
got between two defenders and slotted the ball in to make it
2-1.
With Riga taking full control of the game, they started playing
smarter and creating chances, all the time giving Salaspils nothing
at the back. Frustration set in with Salaspils and after two very
stupid yellow cards (the second challenge could have easily been a
straight red), Salaspils found themselves down to ten
players.
The drama in the game hadn’t finished yet. In the 82nd minute, a
delightful pass by Melņiks was met by an equally sweet finish from
Pērkons. Having received the pass - Pērkons struck from a similar
position to the first goal with a half volley, again across the
face of the goal. In the dying seconds of the game, Salaspils put
the Black Cats under a bit of pressure and were fortunate to get
their second goal, which was a very good finish.
This was a morale lifting victory to finish off a tough week.
Though this is not the end of the busy spell, it puts them in good
stead ahead of Monday’s clash with Monarhs-Flaminko. The character
shown by the United players is something they hope to take into the
next game. Mo Awada was especially pleased with the attitude
of the players: “The centre-backs were great; no nonsense defending
and won everything. Fabio Possagno worked his socks off in the
middle and deserves a lot of praise. It was great to have Karim
back, he should have maybe scored 1 or 2 but he gives so much more
to the team. Ervīns [Pērkons] and Slava [Melņiks] took their goals
very well so I'm pleased for them.”
Man of The Match: Fabio Possagno. Worked hard all game in midfield,
he ran from box-to-box and got the goal.
Fans' Man of The Match: Slava Melņiks. Assisting in the third
goal and scoring the second, it was a marked improvement for the
attacking-minded player. He made some very good passes and
runs also.
Line up:
1. Murat Kelkit
2. Dainis Savickis
3. Eduards Sizs
4. Sofian Berrahal
5. Artūrs Meisters
6. Slava Melņiks (Emīls Pēterson)
7. Ede Schauer (Marco Spinola)
8. Karim Gouglou (Sedat Yildirim)
9. Fabio Possagno
10. Ervīns Pērkons
11. Jānis Pakalns (Igors Bratčenko)
Subs:
Sedat Yildirim, Marco Spinola, Emīls Pētersons, Igor Bratčenko