AN UNDER PAR PERFORMANCE SEES RĪGAS FS DOMINATE UNITED
06 / 06 / 2016
Rīgas FS 
Riga United Ladies had a record loss of 7-1 yesterday as they visited leaders RFS
Date published: 06/06/2016 - 17:20
Rīgas FS 7-1 Riga United Ladies
J. Ņikiforova og. 16'
In a game most people will want to forget in a hurry, Riga United
Ladies played their rivals RFS in the hope of creating an upset.
With promising results before hand, if all had gone to plan,
they may have done it. However, the exact opposite happened and
from a poor first half performance it led to a 7-1 defeat, which is
an new record since the team’s inception.
Everyone, including the manager, knew it was going to be tough with
the first 3 goalies out and only 11 players to field, that said
United had been through tough times before and had come out the
other side with positives.
The game didn’t start off well, with the first goal coming in the
2nd minute from a free kick and the second from a penalty in the
14th minute. That said, set pieces with RFS have always been
dangerous. There was a small possibility of hope with an almost
instantaneous response from Riga, after a good passage of passing,
saw Vāciete take the ball on the left and with a good cross, found
its way into the box and from a wayward clearance, the RFS defender
put it out of reach for the goalie and it was very quickly 2-1.
It almost 2-2 5 minutes later when again a simple channel ball
found its way for a one-on-one opportunity but inexplicably it was
unable to be converted as the ball was kicked high into the air and
found its way safely into the goalie’s arms. It was a turning
point, as 5 minutes after that, in the 25th minute, it was 3-1 as
no one had the back post covered and directly from the corner kick,
the ball went into the goal.
The fourth and fifth goals before half time were both down to poor
defending and they were incredibly soft to concede. Both long
shots came in, the ball came loose and both times players weren’t
there tracking the attackers or covering the goalie so both were
simple finishes.
The first half came to a close with Manager Justin Walley clearly
very annoyed. The team was not playing simple balls or not
followed instructions. The ball was given away far too easily and
positionally players found themselves out of place. Looking back on
the game, Walley was frustrated: "I was hugely disappointed by the
way we applied ourselves for certain periods of the first half and
the start of the second period. The defensive line played too high
and badly out of shape, we didn't play simple balls behind their
high line into the channels as I had asked, talented individuals
did not keep the ball as I had asked. We allowed them to compress
play and then stretch it whenever they wanted. It was simple but
effective football from RFS and they made us look second rate at
times.”
The second half didn’t start much better. In 6 minutes the
game and rout was complete. In the 48th minute the 6th goal
was scored when again the ball was lost in midfield and RFS just
had to play a simple ball to the striker. The 7th, arguably
the player who crossed the ball was offside, however. It wasn’t
given and another simple finish.
The remainder of the half saw some ill temper between the two team
and small fouls here and there. United did play some better
football and some of the players had much improved half. Vāciete
also had a chance which came of the post, which summed up United’s
day. They were still unable to really play how Walley wanted them
to play and with RFS taking their foot of the gas, the game came to
its conclusion.
United will have to learn from this and fast. People will
need to take responsibility and show what the team is made of in
the next fixture on Saturday, when they play Rēzekne, in what is a
“6-point-game”.
Following the game, with comments from Walley, he concluded: “Yes,
we only had 11 players available and Jevgenija [Arzubova] kindly
standing in as goalkeeper as we have lost all three of our keepers,
but we played at times like we had 9 out there. There were harsh
words from me at half time. I didn't like the attitude of some
players on the day. If everyone had listened to what I had asked of
them before, during the game and at half time, it would have been
very different, I am certain of that. The last half hour was much
improved but overall I feel very hurt at losing 7-1. During half
time and last night, a couple of hours after the game, I said some
harsh things to the girls. They've never heard me speak like that
before and I know many of them felt a bit hurt by what I had to
say. I think they should take it on board and respond on the
training ground and on the pitch. I am looking for a reaction in
training later this week and in the two games before the summer
break. We are not realizing our potential and I want to see a big
improvement in the remaining league and cup games we have this
season."