Latvia round-up: Skonto too hot for Ventspils
Sunday, June 22, 2003
Article summary
Leaders FC Skonto overcame FK Ventspils in a game that saw three goals, two penalties and two red cards.
Article body
Leaders Skonto FC overcame second-placed FK Ventspils in a fascinating game that saw three goals, two penalties and two red cards.
Rimkus opener
Ventspils dominated the first half and striker Vitas Rimkus deservedly opened the scoring from Sergejs Zangareevs's assist on 29 minutes. Zangareevs, Rimkus and Maris Smirnovs had chances to double the lead, while Skonto's Maris Verpakovskis also missed two good opportunities.
Breathtaking half
Skonto adopted a more aggressive stance in the second half. Vladimirs Kolesnichenko sent a free-kick goalwards on 66 minutes but Ventspils defender Maris Smirnovs used his hand to stop the ball going over the line. The referee gave a penalty, which was converted by Kolesnichenko and also showed Smirnovs the red card. Six minutes later, the referee sent Verpakovskis off for a handball in the penalty area. However Skonto's keeper Andrejs Piedels saved the penalty taken by Rimkus.
Another victory
Kolesnichenko hit the winner from a free-kick on 79 minutes to clinch the three points for his team. Skonto also played another league game later in the week and recorded a 2-0 win over FK Riga thanks to goals from Viktors Moroz and Aleksejs Visnjakovs on 12 and 89 minutes respectively. Elsewhere, FK Gauja defeated RKB-Arma Riga 3-0 with goals from Arturs Bogdanovs, Rolands Kragliks and Jurijs Adamovich.
