Skonto FC players celabrate their success
(Foto: A.F.I. press foto)

On Tuesday Skonto FC at their home pitch defeated 13 men FK Riga with 5:0 (2:0) and got the first ticket to TrioBet Baltic League (TBL) final with 8:2 summed match results. The other semi-finalists FBK Kaunas and FK Ventspils will play on Wednesday, 24 September and 8 October. "We'd prefer Kaunas," Paul Ashworth, head coach of Skonto FC, stated after Tuesdays match.

FK Riga wrote only 13 players in the protocol for the second TBL semi-final as most of the team has left the club because of its financial problems. "We try with everything what's in our hands to keep the image of the club, to keep the players playing, but it is not easy," said the second coach of FK Riga Jurijs Melnicenko, who stepped out in the place of head coach on the pitch and at the press conference.

"Live TV coverage, good stadium and powerful opponents motivated the young FK Riga players today to play. Even if the result is 5-0 against us, I saw today perspective players, who might play in the first team next season, because they showed themselves from their best side. Of course, if the club management will upkeep the club," said Melnicenko. "Hope dies the last," noted Melnicenko.

Paul Ashworth praised Melnicenko after the match and said: "Despite the shame and club problems, Juriy went on the pitch and FK Riga played. That is mostly his achievement and he is a real football man." Answering the question about the notable FK Riga players Ashworth noted Aleksandrs Zenkovs as one of perspective players of FK Riga.

Match protocol: Skonto FC - FK Riga 5:0 (2:0)
http://www.balticleague.com/fixtures/fix2008/f2/sf3/

Martins Hartmanis
LFF Press Officer