Dour draw with Faroe Islands earns Latvia a world cup point

The match on October 7 saw the Faroes dominate possession at their home ground in the middle of the North Sea and create most of the dangerous chances.

However, thanks to a combination of luck and a few decent saves from experienced 'keeper Andris Vanins Latvia just about held out and earned a point.

The generally unedifying spectacle did at least end a run of seven straight defeats and raised the possibility that if things keep heading in that direction, the next match against mighty Andorra in Riga on October 10 could even result in a win.

If able to do so, Latvia would at least finish above Andorra in their world cup qualifying group, though the chance of qualification for the final tournament in Russia departed pretty much as soon as the whistle blew on last October's 2:0 defeat at home to the Faroes.