Kolinko chasing dream present

Latvia goalkeeper Aleksandrs Kolinko may be about to face Kevin Kuranyi, Michael Ballack and co but he was in celebratory mood today.

Ideal present
The No1 was marking his 29th birthday and received a present from the Latvia Football Federation's main sponsors. However, the FC Rostov player said a better present would be a clean sheet against Group D rivals Germany in Porto tomorrow night.

Changes possible
The goalkeeper will have extra cause to be happy at the Estádio do Bessa Século XXI because he will be winning his 50th cap. He is certain to play but things are not so clear-cut at the other end where coach Aleksandrs Starkovs has hinted that Marians Pahars and Jurijs Laizans are pushing for a starting role.

Two up front
However, Starkovs is keeping things close to his chest, promising only that he will play two men up front as the Latvians seek to make amends for their 2-1 defeat by the Czech Republic on Tuesday.

Proud day
Starkovs said: "It is a huge event for the whole of Latvian football to play against Germany. The German team has always been popular in our country since the times of Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Müller. It is fantastic that we have an opportunity to play them at the EURO finals."