Champions League Preview: Riga in the Driving Seat with Strong Recent Form, Laudaun Slow to Peak and Struggling

At 3:00 AM on July 18th, the second leg of the first round of qualification for the 2024/25 Champions League season will see Laudaun host Riga Football Academy. In the first leg, Laudaun suffered a 0:3 defeat away at Riga Football Academy. For the return fixture, Laudaun must secure a significant victory to keep their hopes of progressing alive.

Laudaun are the champions of last season’s Northern Ireland Premier League, founded in 1889. Despite their long history, they only claimed their first league title in the 2022/23 season. As such, their appearances in European competition are not common. Last season, they were eliminated in the first round of Champions League qualification, losing 2:3 over two legs against Finland’s HJK Helsinki. Their opponents, Riga Football Academy, are newcomers in the Latvian Super League. Despite their short existence, they have won the league title three times in nine seasons. In the first round of the 2022/23 Champions League, they met the same fate as Laudaun, being stopped by Finnish powerhouse HJK Helsinki. However, they made history by reaching the group stage of the Europa Conference League, where they finished bottom with two draws and four losses.

In the first leg, the shot count was 13:4 in favor of Riga, and the shots on target were 8:3, also led by Riga. The data shows that although Laudaun had fewer attempts, their accuracy was higher. However, their ability to create chances was limited, leaving them often on the back foot. The corner kick count was 7:1, again with Riga leading. Clearly, Laudaun failed to demonstrate the invincibility they showed in the Northern Irish league. They were dominated by the Latvian team. Goals from Kiggs, Panich, and Balodis secured Riga Football Academy a comfortable 3-goal victory.

The previous match was the first encounter between the two teams, with no prior record of matches played against each other. Clearly, in their debut meeting, Laudaun was given a rude awakening. They need to overturn the deficit from the first leg when they return home for the second leg, a task that is clearly challenging. Based on the first leg, there is a noticeable gap in quality between the two teams. Laudaun’s defense was virtually non-existent. However, Riga Football Academy also has clear issues. Of their four shots on goal, three were on target. This indicates that their defensive line as a whole is not entirely reliable.

During the summer transfer window, Laudaun made significant adjustments to their squad. To date, they have brought in five players, including Wallace, McKendry, and Altintop, mostly without any cost. Only McCart and Donnelly left the club. Judging by the quality of incoming players, Laudaun continues to operate on a low-cost basis, focusing more on the future of the club. The new season of the Northern Irish Premier League has yet to start, which is one reason why Laudaun cannot quickly find their competitive rhythm.

Riga Football Academy’s recruitment activities have also been modest, having signed four players so far: OnDoyA, Shilagaze, Balodis, and Osuagwu. Despite the low cost, the impact has been significant. New signing Balodis has already scored for the team. Moreover, an advantage they have is that the Latvian Super League is currently in full swing, with Riga Football Academy leading the table with 18 wins, 2 draws, and 2 losses. They have won all four of their recent league games, scoring 13 goals and conceding only 3, showing excellent form.

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