Latvia round-up: Ventspils edge thriller

FK Ventspils defeated champions FC Skonto 3-2 today in a thrilling game at the Pilsetas stadium to move to the top of the Virsliga table.

Ferocious pace
The game started at a ferocious pace and Vladimirs Kolesnicenko gave Skonto the lead after eight minutes when he tapped in from close range after Audrius Ksanavicius's powerful shot had been palmed away. Parity was restored 12 minutes later when Vits Rimkus picked himself up after being felled in the area to score from the penalty spot.

Caught on the counter
Three minutes later Ventspils were 2-1 up after Rimkus scored again from Anatoly Lukjanchikov's fine centre, although Andrejs Pavlovs in the Skonto goal will have been disappointed not to have claimed it. Skonto poured forward in search of a leveller but were caught on the counterattack by Engenij Landyrev's fine headed goal in the 65th minute.

Perfect records
Kolesnicenko struck again to give the champions hope but Ventspils shut them out to record their third victory in as many games this season. They are joined at the summit by FHK Liepajas Metalurgs after they maintained their 100 per cent record with a 3-0 defeat of FK Riga. Aleksandr Katasonov, the Virsliga's leading scorer in 2001, scored twice with Jurgis Kalns adding the other.