RFS take on the visitors Levadia in the second leg of UEFA Champions League Qualification round of 1/8-finals. First leg result: 1-0. The match will be played on Tuesday, July 15th at LNK Sporta Parks (Riga).
RFS can rightly consider themselves the successors to Skonto. After all, the current club emerged from the academy and football school of the legendary predecessor, which faded away after failing to adapt to the new footballing landscape. Over time, RFS climbed into the elite, winning their first league title in 2021, reclaiming it in 2023 after a short break, and also featuring in the main rounds of both the Europa League and the Conference League. This season, however, it's Riga FC who are slightly ahead in the domestic Virsliga table. RFS have remained competitive, but recent dropped points against Daugavpils and Valmiera suggest the added European schedule may start to take its toll. Nonetheless, their recent 1-0 away win over Levadia was a solid result that puts them in control of the tie.
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Levadia can't afford to focus solely on European competition either. The Green and Whites were founded in 1998 and immediately made an impact by winning the Meistriliiga, the Estonian Cup, and the Supercup in their debut season. Although such dominance didn’t continue uninterrupted, they have remained regular contenders, collecting numerous domestic trophies. In 2024, the Tallinn side secured their 11th league title and added another Estonian Cup to their collection. They also started this year by lifting the Supercup and are currently top of the league, albeit by a slim margin. Their Champions League qualifying campaign began on a sour note, with a 0-1 home defeat to RFS after conceding from the penalty spot early in the second half. The lack of attacking edge in that match is a worrying sign heading into the return leg.
As champions of two neighboring and closely connected countries, these sides have met three times in friendlies. The record is balanced — one win each and one draw. The Latvian side claimed a solid away win and should be even more confident at home. Back RFS to win with a -1.0 handicap.
Prediction for the match: RFS to win with -1.0 handicap.
