LADIES SHOW STRENGTH OF CHARACTER IN VICTORY
17 / 07 / 2016
Rīgas FS/Cerība 46. Vidusskola 
Liene Vāciete scores the only goal in a game which highlighted United's dogged determination.
Date published: 17/07/2016 - 13:15
Rīgas FS/Cerība 46.Vsk 0-1 Riga United FC
Vāciete, 50'
Manager Justin Walley was certainly thrilled when the RUSG caught
up with him yesterday to ask about his thoughts on the game:
“Nobody should ever underestimate how difficult it is to play an
entire 90 minutes with just ten players. The girls did that and
ended the game as the far better team. Many of them were absolutely
done at the end. They put in a hell of a shift and I was very proud
of every single one of them. The win was thoroughly deserved. We
scored another special goal this time thanks to some excellent work
from Pia [Foosnaes] bringing the ball out of the back and then
Liene [Vāciete] bulldozed her way through three defenders and fired
the ball into the top corner. It was a goal that would deserve to
win any game.”
Yesterday saw a spirited effort from Riga United as they beat Rīgas
FS/Cerība 46.vsk 1-0, with ten players from start to finish. The
only goal coming from Liene Vāciete in the 50th minute, to bring
her tally to six goals this season.
The game started nervously from Riga United. The ladies look to
rush the play and play the ball ‘first time’. They had more time on
the ball than they realised and with Cerība noticing the
nervousness, they started the game stronger out of the two teams.
As throughout the half, United stood off a little too much
and allowed them to play their football.
As the half went on, United started to get in the game a little
more. They were still not keeping the ball as much but made some
good runs and the ball started making its way to the forward line.
Inside 20 minutes, Arzubova had come close in a chance for a
1-on-1, first team debutant Jekaterīna Volkovica shot with a volley
that went just wide and Kazlauska, almost but couldn’t quite get on
the end of a through ball.
All to often though, the final touch was lacking from both teams so
the rest of the first half was spent in a bit of a stalemate as no
teams could find a way through and both goalies stood up to the
task well!
Going into the second half, Walley asked much of the same from his
team. To just keep it simple, play the ball and build up
play. The nervousness disappeared and over the course of the
second half, they did just that.
The goal came from good build up play in fact. Jevgenija
Arzubova tracked back and tackled in defence, Pia foosnaes took the
ball and brought it out of defence, played the ball to Liene
Vāciete, who found her way through a few defenders and shot inside
the box, the ball sailed into the net and sent the coaching staff,
team and the loud United fans into raptures.
It was all United from that point they played the ball well, took
their time and absolutely ran until they couldn’t run anymore. This
was the case with some of the players. Again through the build up
play, Vāciete almost got a second as a brilliant ball played into
the box by Kazlauska reached Vāciete and it was put past the goalie
but not the last defender on the line.
As the team became tired, there were a few scary moments for Riga,
when Cerība found a way past the defence but some good defending
and safe hands saw the game out!
There is a sense that this was one of those games where a lot was
learnt about the team. They go on a break now until the end of
August but if they can bring that sheer doggedness to other games,
they have a good chance of winning the rest of the games this
season. Every single player gave so much from goalie to
forward, especially from the players who stepped up from the
reserves.
Player of the Game: Pia Foosnaes. From start to finish, the
centre-back was the most commanding player on the field.
Supported players well in other areas of the field and the
passing was with aplomb. She played a big part in keeping the
defence together as a unit and covered any loose balls at the back.
The tackling was excellent too.