Armenia beat Latvia to open Nations League campaign with a win as Harutyunyan and Gharibyan score first international goals
- Author: Vahe Hakobyan
- Sportaran
Armenia defeated Latvia 2–0 in their opening match of the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League. The game took place on September 25 at the Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium in Yerevan. Both goals came from players who had never previously scored for the national team.
Georgi Harutyunyan opened the scoring in the 31st minute, heading in from a corner delivered by captain Eduard Spertsyan. It was Spertsyan’s fifth assist for Armenia. In the second half, Artur Gharibyan doubled the lead. The forward came on in the 69th minute and scored six minutes later from a pass by Zhirayr Shaghoyan, who recorded his second international assist.
Armenia had the upper hand and threatened Latvia’s goal more often. The hosts registered 14 shots to Latvia’s five and won ten corners to their opponents’ two.
Three players made their Armenia debuts. Defender Argishti Petrosyan, 33, came on after half-time; forward Artur Gharibyan, 20, entered in the 69th minute; and defender Erik Simonyan, 23, joined the action in the 82nd. For Latvia, 20-year-old Armenian-born Albert Aleksanjan made his debut in the 87th minute.
The win was clouded by injuries to Julio Bueno and Narek Hovhannisyan. Both had been playing well but had to leave the pitch. Artur Serobyan received a yellow card.
Armenia kept their first clean sheet since 2022, ending a run of 39 consecutive matches in which they had conceded. Yeghishe Melikyan’s side will next face Montenegro in Yerevan on September 28.
Armenia 2–0 Latvia
Goals: Harutyunyan 31′, Gharibyan 75′.
Armenia: Čančarević — Bandikyan, Piloyan, Bueno (Petrosyan 46′), Harutyunyan (Simonyan 82′), Tiknizyan — Iwu, Spertsyan (captain) — Serobyan (Sevikyan 82′), N. Hovhannisyan (Shaghoyan 60′) — Miranyan (Gharibyan 69′).
Latvia: Matrevics — Melniks, Černomordijs (Patijčuks 87′), Cirkins, Jurkovskis (Toņiševs 58′), Zelenkovs, Vapne, Cigaņiks — Strods (Uldriķis 68′), Dašķevičs (Vientiess 68′) — Gutkovskis (Aleksanjans 87′).