It was the second victory in a row for Latvia in the qualification tournament involving four teams for a place at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Latvia had previously overcome Slovenia. Only the winners of the tournament will get the Olympic ticket, so Latvia will need one more success to achieve its goal.
The head coach of the national team, Harijs Vītoliņš, admitted in a conversation with journalists that the victory in the match against Ukraine was not as easy as the scoreline suggested. Vītoliņš said he liked the team's performance in the game against Slovenia better, but "We scored enough goals to feel comfortable," said Vītoliņš. "Now we are preparing for the most important game in this tournament."
The winner of the tournament and the winner of the Olympic ticket will be known on Sunday in the game between Latvia and France. The French national team also has two victories, so whoever wins will book their ticket to Italy.
A packed venue and raucous evening in Rīga is guaranteed.
