Preview: Rigas Futbola Skola vs. UE Santa Coloma

Sports Mole previews Wednesday’s Europa League clash between Rigas Futbola Skola and UE Santa Coloma, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

UE Santa Coloma will travel to LNK Sporta Parks on Tuesday to face up against Rigas Futbola Skola in the second leg of their UEFA Europa League third qualifying round tie.

The hosts are ahead in the tie thanks to a 2-0 victory in Andorra, leaving the visitors needing to overturn a two-goal deficit to keep their Europa League dreams alive.

Match preview
After winning their first league title in 2021, RFS followed that up with a second Latvian title in 2023, earning them a spot in the Champions League qualifying rounds for the 2024-25 tournament.

Viktors Morozs, who has been in charge since February 2020, managed to lead the side to a comprehensive 7-0 aggregate victory against Larne FC in the first qualifying round.

They were handed a difficult draw in the second qualifying round and were on the wrong end of a 7-1 aggregate score against Bodo/Glimt, leaving RFS to compete in the Europa League qualifiers.

Morozs’s side picked up a 2-0 lead in Andorra in the first leg, a brilliant result after a tight game that saw UE Santa Coloma take 11 shots to their 10, leaving them in the driving seat going into the second leg.

The Latvian manager will now be hoping his side can hold on to their lead at their home ground, where they have lost just one of their last 15 matches across all competitions, and move one step closer to becoming the first-ever Latvian side to qualify for a European competition on two occasions.

UE Santa Coloma won their first league title in 2023-24, amassing 66 points from 27 matches and narrowly beating second-placed Inter Club d’Escaldes by three points, earning them a chance at Champions League qualification for the first time in their history.

After a 2-1 first-leg defeat to KF Ballkani in the Champions League first qualifying round, UE Santa Coloma forced extra time with a 92nd-minute equaliser in the second leg and ultimately won the tie 6-5 on penalties, securing a historic victory.

Similarly to RFS, they were handed a difficult second qualifying round draw against FC Midtjylland, who comfortably defeated Ramon Caldere’s side 4-0 on aggregate, consigning them to the Europa League.

Caldere would have been disappointed to lose 2-0 in the first leg against RFS after his side had plenty of chances on goal, but the manager will be hopeful of fighting back into the tie and moving one step closer to their first-ever qualification to a European tournament.

Rigas Futbola Skola Europa League form:

Rigas Futbola Skola form (all competitions):

UE Santa Coloma Europa League form:

UE Santa Coloma form (all competitions):

Team News
The hosts will remain without Alfusainey Jatta with the midfielder continuing his recovery from a severe injury that has kept him out of the side for an extended period.

Janis Ikaunieks has been in hot form this term, already netting 12 goals in 20 games across all competitions, and is likely to start alongside Ismael Diomande, who has scored 12 in 27 this season.

The visitors could be boosted by the return of Pablo Perez after the defender served a suspension in the first leg following a red card in their second leg against FC Midtjylland.

Elsewhere, Franco de Jesus and Alexandre Martinez could make way for Victor Tellado and Bilal El Bakkali after both were taken off at half-time in the first leg.

Rigas Futbola Skola possible starting lineup:
Ondoa; Savalnieks, Prenga, Lipuscek, Mares; Ikaunieks, Panic, Markhiyev; Diomande, Osuagwu, Kouadio

UE Santa Coloma possible starting lineup:
Campagne; Gomez, Chete, Perez, Ribeiro; Joaquinete, Lopez, Mohedano; El Bakkali, Tellado, Fernandez

We say: Rigas Futbola Skola 2-1 UE Santa Coloma
The visitors will have to put emphasis on the attack as they look to claw their way back into the tie, leaving the hosts with plenty of opportunity to catch them on the break, and we expect that to end in a victory for RFS.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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