EUROPEAN QUALIFIERS - 2016/18 SEASON MATCH PRESS KITS Skonto Stadions - Riga Friday 7 October 2016 20.45CET (21.45 local time) Latvia Group B - Matchday 2 Faroe Islands Last updated 07/06/2017 16:58CET EUROPEAN QUALIFIERS OFFICIAL SPONSORS Previous meetings 2 Squad list 3 Head coach 5 Match officials 6 Competition facts 7 Match-by-match lineups 8 Legend 10 1 Latvia - Faroe Islands Friday 7 October 2016 - 20.45CET (21.45 local time) Match press kit Skonto Stadions, Riga Previous meetings Head to Head No UEFA competition matches have been played between these two teams 2 Latvia - Faroe Islands Friday 7 October 2016 - 20.45CET (21.45 local time) Match press kit Skonto Stadions, Riga Squad list Latvia Current season Qual. FT No. Player DoB Age Club D Pld Gls Pld Gls Goalkeepers - Andris Vaņins 30/04/1980 36 Zürich - 1 0 0 0 - Pāvels Šteinbors 21/09/1985 31 Arka - 0 0 0 0 - Kaspars Ikstens 05/06/1988 28 Jelgava - 0 0 0 0 Defenders - Kaspars Gorkšs 06/11/1981 34 Liepāja - 1 0 0 0 - Vladislavs Gabovs 13/07/1987 29 Korona - 1 0 0 0 - Gints Freimanis 09/05/1985 31 Jelgava - 0 0 0 0 - Vitālijs Maksimenko 08/12/1990 25 Mattersburg - 1 0 0 0 - Mārcis Ošs 25/07/1991 25 Jelgava - 0 0 0 0 Midfielders - Aleksejs Višņakovs 03/02/1984 32 Skonto - 1 0 0 0 - Oļegs Laizāns 28/03/1987 29 Riga * 1 0 0 0 - Artis Lazdiņš 03/05/1986 30 Jelgava - 1 0 0 0 - Igors Tarasovs 16/10/1988 27 Giresunspor - 0 0 0 0 - Artūrs Zjuzins 18/06/1991 25 Tambov - 1 0 0 0 Dynamo - Vitālijs Jagodinskis 28/02/1992 24 - 1 0 0 0 Kyiv - Jānis Ikaunieks 16/02/1995 21 Metz - 1 0 0 0 - Glebs Kļuškins 10/02/1992 24 Jelgava - 0 0 0 0 - Cristián Torres 18/06/1985 31 Liepāja * 1 0 0 0 Forwards - Ģirts Karlsons 07/06/1981 35 Ventspils - 0 0 0 0 - Ivans Lukjanovs 24/01/1987 29 Fakel - 0 0 0 0 - Artūrs Karašausks 29/01/1992 24 Piast - 1 0 0 0 - Valērijs Šabala 12/10/1994 21 Miedz * 1 1 0 0 - Dāvis Ikaunieks 07/01/1994 22 Jihlava - 1 0 0 0 - Vladislavs Gutkovskis 02/04/1995 21 Nieciecza - 0 0 0 0 Coach - Marians Pahars 05/08/1976 40 - 0 0 0 0 3 Latvia - Faroe Islands Friday 7 October 2016 - 20.45CET (21.45 local time) Match press kit Skonto Stadions, Riga Faroe Islands Current season Qual. FT No. Player DoB Age Club D Pld Gls Pld Gls Goalkeepers - Gunnar Nielsen 07/10/1986 30 FH - 1 0 0 0 - Teitur Gestsson 19/08/1992 24 HB - 0 0 0 0 - Kristian Joensen 21/12/1992 23 KÍ - 0 0 0 0 Defenders - Atli Gregersen 15/06/1982 34 Vikingur - 1 0 0 0 - Jóhan Davidsen 31/01/1988 28 HB - 0 0 0 0 - Pól Jóhannus Justinussen 13/01/1989 27 NSÍ - 0 0 0 0 - Viljormur Davidsen 19/07/1991 25 VB - 1 0 0 0 - Bárdur Hansen 13/03/1992 24 Vikingur - 1 0 0 0 - Rógvi Baldvinsson 06/12/1989 26 Fredericia - 0 0 0 0 - Ragnar Nattestad 05/08/1994 22 FH - 1 0 0 0 Midfielders - Fródi Benjaminsen 14/12/1977 38 HB * 1 0 0 0 - Jónas Tór Naes 27/12/1986 29 B36 - 0 0 0 0 - Heini Vatnsdal 18/10/1991 24 HB - 1 0 0 0 - Hallur Hansson 08/07/1992 24 Horsens - 1 0 0 0 - Gilli Sørensen 11/08/1992 24 Brann - 0 0 0 0 - René Joensen 08/02/1993 23 Vendsyssel - 1 0 0 0 - Árni Frederiksberg 13/06/1992 24 NSÍ - 0 0 0 0 - Kaj Bartalsstovu 23/06/1991 25 FH - 0 0 0 0 - Brandur Hendriksson 19/12/1995 20 Randers - 1 0 0 0 - Sølvi Vatnhamar 05/05/1986 30 Vikingur - 1 0 0 0 Forwards - Klæmint Olsen 17/07/1990 26 NSÍ - 0 0 0 0 - Páll Klettskard 17/05/1990 26 KÍ - 0 0 0 0 - Jóan Edmundsson 26/07/1991 25 OB - 1 0 0 0 Coach - Lars Olsen 02/02/1961 55 - 1 0 0 0 4 Latvia - Faroe Islands Friday 7 October 2016 - 20.45CET (21.45 local time) Match press kit Skonto Stadions, Riga Head coach Marians Pahars Date of birth: 5 August 1976 Nationality: Latvian Playing career: FK Pārdaugava, Skonto Metall FC, Skonto FC (twice), Southampton FC, Anorthosis Famagusta FC, FC Jūrmala Coaching career: Skonto FC, Latvia Under-21s, Latvia • Born in the village of Chornobai in central Ukraine, he moved to Latvia – his parents' homeland – while young and undertook his football education in Riga before making his senior debut at Skonto in 1995. He won the league title in each of his first four seasons, and the double in three of them. • Transferred to English Premier League outfit Southampton in 1999, where the diminutive forward became a firm fans' favourite. Known as the 'Latvian Owen' after England striker Michael Owen, he spent seven successful years with the Saints, despite a succession of injuries. • After a year with Anorthosis, lifting the Cypriot Cup, Pahars returned to Latvia and Skonto, ending his career at Jūrmala in 2009. He accepted a role as assistant to Aleksandrs Starkovs at Skonto the following year. • Skonto claimed the 2010 championship and Pahars replaced Starkovs at the helm the next year. His first term in the hot seat brought the Latvian Cup and a runners-up finish in the First Division, though Pahars soon left as Skonto were suffering off-the-pitch problems. • Pahars was out of football for just two months before taking charge of Latvia's U21 side. His tenure lasted a solitary game as Starkovs' unexpected decision to step down as senior team boss in summer 2013 prompted the younger man's immediate promotion on a contract until 2018. Lars Olsen Date of birth: 2 February 1961 Nationality: Danish Playing career: Glostrup IF, Køge BK, Brøndby IF (twice), Trabzonspor AŞ, RFC Seraing, FC Basel 1893 Coaching career: Randers FC, Odense BK, Faroe Islands • Enjoyed an illustrious playing career as a central defender, winning five Danish titles in a six-year spell at Brøndby between 1985 and 1991. • Allegedly drove from Turkey to Scandinavia when he learned of his country's belated call-up to EURO '92. His passion and leadership – he played every minute in Sweden – helped inspire Denmark to the most unlikely of triumphs. He ended his career with 84 caps, a record 69 as captain. • Learned his coaching craft with Brøndby, taking charge at various youth and reserve levels after finishing his playing days at the club in 1996, before accepting his first senior job with newly formed Randers in 2003. Guided the team into the Danish Super League in 2004 but could not help maintain their elite status, suffering immediate relegation. • Steered second-division Randers to a surprise 2006 Danish Cup success, beating Esbjerg fB in the final, while also securing a return to the top flight. Moved to Odense in summer 2007, leading his new side to a fourth-place finish in his first term. Consecutive runners-up spots followed in 2008/09 and 2009/10 before he departed in September 2010. • Appointed coach of the Faroe Islands in November 2011, his team were unable to register a win as they came bottom of 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying Group C, earning their only point in a 1-1 home draw with Kazakhstan. However, UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying featured two high points in the shape of home and away wins against the 2004 champions Greece. 5 Latvia - Faroe Islands Friday 7 October 2016 - 20.45CET (21.45 local time) Match press kit Skonto Stadions, Riga Match officials Referee Serhiy Boiko (UKR) Assistant referees Oleksandr Voytyuk (UKR) , Serhiy Bekker (UKR) Fourth official Anatolii Zhabchenko (UKR) FIFA Match Commissioner Kuanysh Kanapyanov (KAZ) Referee observer Vlado Svilokos (CRO) Referee Name Date of birth UEFA matches Serhiy Boiko 30/06/1977 2 35 FIFA Wold Cup matches involving teams from the two countries involved in this match No such matches refereed Other matches involving teams from either of the two countries involved in this match No such matches refereed 6 Latvia - Faroe Islands Friday 7 October 2016 - 20.45CET (21.45 local time) Match press kit Skonto Stadions, Riga Competition facts The Week of Football concept enables fans around the world to enjoy the very best action from the European Qualifiers – which will determine UEFA's representatives at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup comprises nine groups of six teams, with matches played on a home-and- away basis. Qualifying takes place under the 'Week of Football' concept, introduced ahead of the UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying campaign, in which games are spread out from Thursday to Tuesday, shining the spotlight on more teams on the road to the finals in Russia. Moreover, thanks to the Week of Football, at least 43% of matches will be played on weekends, giving fans a better chance to follow the action on television, in the stadiums and on UEFA.com. Kick-off times will be set mainly at 18:00CET and 20:45CET on Saturdays and Sundays and at 20:45CET for Thursdays, Fridays, Mondays and Tuesdays. In double-header matchweeks, sides will play on Thursday/Sunday, Friday/Monday or Saturday/Tuesday. Each day of the Week of Football will feature eight to ten games. The nine group winners will qualify directly for the final tournament.