Daugavpils see off late penalty to reach Latvian Cup semi-finals

The first Latvian Cup quarter-final took place on Friday, 14 August, at the Esplanade stadium in Daugavpils. The home side beat Ogre United 3:1 (1:1) and advanced to the semi-finals.

The opening stages were marked by sharp, aggressive play. Markuss Kalniņš put the visitors ahead in the 14th minute, converting from a corner after Ogre United’s first notable attack. Daugavpils then took control, applying sustained pressure, yet clear-cut chances were lacking. In the 35th minute, Ogre threatened again through Kalniņš, whose close-range effort was blocked at the last moment.

Seven minutes before the interval, the hosts equalised. Rendijs Šibass lost a duel on the left flank, allowing Džoels Jakubu to deliver the ball into the penalty area, where Abdulkaders Traorē finished coolly. Early in the second half, Doukumu Vadulu showed individual skill inside the box and beat goalkeeper Kristers Jānis Biščuhis to make it 2:1.

After that goal, the game slowed down. Ogre United had more possession and attacked more often than in the first half, but Viktor Mazurs’ side failed to create any real danger. With fewer than ten minutes remaining in regular time, Kalniņš was brought down in the area and the referee awarded a penalty. Arsentijs Dorošenko stepped up, but Jānis Beks saved his effort.

Deep into stoppage time, Daugavpils launched a counter-attack and Daniels Kivindā finished with a low, precise shot to seal the 3:1 victory. The match was refereed by Andris Treimanis. The remaining quarter-finals will be played on 16 August (Riga against Metta, Super Nova against RFS) and 17 August (Auda against Grobiņa), with the semi-finals scheduled for 2 and 3 September.