League

Fools Garden
Spectators: 10793 (Terracing: 8096, Seating: 2482, VIP seats: 215) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Michal Noworolnik took the kick off in the first half of the match. Kostas Birbas showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Michal Noworolnik, who was totally free with the ball in the 7th minute. Michal Noworolniks short, quick shot in the 9thth minute got Kostas Birbas to make great effort and bar the ball away from getting in. After 13 minutes, Inārs Purvenas mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the FC Melluži and the GAUJA players grew even worse after the yellow card. In the 13th match minute, FC Melluži was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Inārs Purvenas to maneuver through the defense. GAUJA's Toms Felss played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Oļģerts Ezermala in the 15th minute of play. Ulvis Cetmens hit a great freekick 18 minutes into the match. With his leg Kostas Birbas managed to avoid a goal in the 25thth minute, when GAUJA's Michal Noworolnik fired away a shot with a lot of spin towards his right hand side. In the 28thth minute of the game Michal Noworolnik who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but FC Melluži's Kostas Birbas was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. GAUJA were awarded a corner in the 30th minute after FC Melluži's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Zigismunds Piekalns took the corner. Toms Felss took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Oļģerts Ezermala, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. With a little luck, FC Melluži's Kostas Birbas got control of the ball when Michal Noworolnik tried to sneak it across the goal line. GAUJA's Toms Felss played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Oļģerts Ezermala in the 34th minute of play. 39 minutes into the match, FC Melluži's goal looked a bit too open when Michal Noworolnik came free, but Kostas Birbas reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Michal Noworolnik struck a weak shot in the 39th minute. Kostas Birbas didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for GAUJA. Kostas Birbas didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Michal Noworolnik went, in the 44th minute, to the upper right corner, 1-0 was the resulting score. After 48 played minutes FC Melluži got a freekick which was hit by Olafs Raguelis. After a defensive mix-up in FC Melluži's zone, Zigismunds Piekalns stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Kostas Birbas came out of the goal and Zigismunds Piekalns tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Oļģerts Ezermala was the one to do the kick off. When Lauris Rebenis fell near the penalty area in the 54th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored FC Melluži's protests and gave Lauris Rebenis a yellow card for diving instead. 55 minutes into the game, Michal Noworolnik cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 2-0. Kostas Birbas was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. Kostas Birbas showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Michal Noworolnik in the 58th minute of the match. Kostas Birbas showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Michal Noworolnik, who was totally free with the ball in the 59th minute. 64 minutes into the match, FC Melluži's goal looked a bit too open when Michal Noworolnik came free, but Kostas Birbas reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. When the match clock showed 67 minutes, the score became 3-0 when Michal Noworolnik sped through FC Melluži's defense and sent away a curving shot that went into the net to the right of Kostas Birbas. Kostas Birbas stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Toms Skirmanis's shot from short distance in the 75th minute. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Michal Noworolnik in the 77th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Kostas Birbas saved FC Melluži from getting behind. After 81 minutes of play, GAUJA's Michal Noworolnik made it 4-0 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Kostas Birbas was left in no man's land by his defense there! GAUJA's Toms Skirmanis got a good chance for a goal in the 87th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. FC Melluži's Kostas Birbas played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Michal Noworolnik in the 94th minute of play. Toms Skirmanis took the ball and in the 97 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Kostas Birbas. Kostas Birbas dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 5-0.