Gharibyan and Harutyunyan reflect on their first goals for Armenia

Georgiy Harutyunyan and Artur Gharibyan, who scored in Armenia’s 2–0 win over Latvia, shared their thoughts with the official channel of the Football Federation of Armenia. Both players scored their first goals for the national team.

Gharibyan scored on his Armenia debut. Before the match, he had said he wanted to score against Latvia. After the final whistle, he explained how much the moment meant to him.

“Of course, things I say don’t always come true, but I really wanted to score, and I did. I’m very happy. I dedicated the goal to my wife, my father and my grandmother, who were watching from the stands. A few of my friends were there too. I dedicated it to all of them.”

The forward said the second goal helped Armenia see out the match more comfortably.

“A 1–0 lead was very dangerous, so it was important to score a second goal. At 2–0, things became easier. Latvia were very dangerous in the air, but our defenders did well and dealt with it.”

Harutyunyan, whose goal proved to be the winner, dedicated it to the fans at the stadium. The defender also explained how he felt the match changed after Armenia took the lead.

“It’s impossible to describe those emotions in words. I’m very happy to have scored. I dedicate the goal to everyone who came to the stadium. It was a very difficult match: our opponents defended in a low block. But we completely dominated, Latvia had few chances, and we threatened their goal often. After my goal, things became easier: they started attacking more often and leaving spaces open.”

Armenia beat Latvia in Yerevan on September 25 in the opening round of the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League. Their next match is at home against Montenegro on September 28.