Armenia vs Latvia: A New Nations League Chapter Begins in Yerevan
Armenia begin their 2026/27 UEFA Nations League campaign with a different identity taking shape under new head coach Yeghishe Melikyan.
The meeting with Latvia at the Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium is the first Group C2 fixture for both sides, giving the opening 90 minutes particular importance as the teams establish their positions in the section.
Armenia have reached this point with a squad that combines established figures such as Eduard Spertsyan with a number of younger options, while Latvia arrive under Paolo Nicolato with several new faces in the group.
The previous Nations League meetings between these teams provide some recent context, with Armenia winning both encounters in the 2024 edition, including a 4-1 victory in Yerevan.
This time, however, Armenia have a new coach and Latvia have also reshaped parts of their squad, meaning the earlier meetings offer background rather than a ready-made script for this contest.
The variation rule for this article is therefore tactical: the match is approached through the midfield battle and the way each side intends to progress the ball rather than through a conventional injury-first structure.
🚑 The Availability Picture Before Kick-off
Armenia have a substantial list of players unavailable because of injuries, with the Football Federation’s squad announcement confirming that Vahan Bichakhchyan, Finn Geragusyan, Grant-Leon Ranos, David Davidyan, Kamo Hovhannisyan, Hovhannes Harutyunyan, Henry Avagyan and Norberto Briasco Balekian would not join the camp because of injuries.
Sergey Muradyan was then ruled out separately after the Noah defender suffered an injury and was withdrawn from the national-team plans on September 23.
The official information does not classify those players individually as long-term injuries, so they are listed below only as Out / Ruled Out rather than being given an unsupported long-term designation.
For Latvia, current match availability information lists Kristers Penkevics as injured, while reporting from Latvia also noted that he suffered an injury during FC Zlin’s September 13 league match.
No officially documented Questionable designation has been located for either team in the sources checked, so no player is placed in that category simply on the basis of uncertainty.
Tigran Barseghyan is also unavailable through suspension, but because your injury table is restricted to injury categories, that disciplinary absence is deliberately kept outside the injury table.
| Armenia — Injury Absences |
| Out / Ruled Out |
Vahan Bichakhchyan |
Unavailable due to injury |
| Out / Ruled Out |
Finn Geragusyan |
Unavailable due to injury |
| Out / Ruled Out |
Grant-Leon Ranos |
Unavailable due to injury |
| Out / Ruled Out |
David Davidyan |
Unavailable due to injury |
| Out / Ruled Out |
Kamo Hovhannisyan |
Unavailable due to injury |
| Out / Ruled Out |
Hovhannes Harutyunyan |
Unavailable due to injury |
| Out / Ruled Out |
Henry Avagyan |
Unavailable due to injury |
| Out / Ruled Out |
Norberto Briasco Balekian |
Unavailable due to injury |
| Out / Ruled Out |
Sergey Muradyan |
Injured and withdrawn from the national-team camp |
| Latvia — Injury Absence |
| Out / Ruled Out |
Kristers Penkevics |
Unavailable with injury |
📋 The Named Elevens and Players to Watch
The starting lineups have now been announced, with Melikyan selecting Ognjen Čančarević in goal and a side featuring Erik Piloyan, Julio Bueno, Georgi Harutyunyan and Nair Tiknizyan in the defensive unit.
Eduard Spertsyan is included from the start, while Artyom Bandikyan and Ugochukwu Iwu provide the midfield presence around him.
Narek Hovhannisyan, Artur Miranyan and Artur Serobyan form the attacking trio named by Armenia for the opening fixture.
Latvia’s XI gives a clear indication of Nicolato’s structure, with Rihards Matrevics behind Dennis Cirkin, Deniss Melniks and Dmitrijs Zelenkovs in the defensive line.
Lūkass Vapne and Andrejs Cigaņiks are among the midfield options, while Roberts Uldriķis provides the central attacking reference alongside Albert Aleksanjan and Maksims Toņisevs.
The personnel selections point toward a contest in which Armenia can look to use Spertsyan’s distribution and attacking combinations, while Latvia’s shape is designed to retain defensive numbers and create routes forward through the flanks and transitions.
| Armenia — Confirmed Starting XI |
| Goalkeeper |
Ognjen Čančarević |
Starting goalkeeper |
| Defender |
Erik Piloyan |
Starting defender |
| Defender |
Julio Bueno |
Starting defender |
| Defender |
Georgi Harutyunyan |
Starting defender |
| Defender |
Nair Tiknizyan |
Starting defender |
| Midfielder |
Artyom Bandikyan |
Starting midfielder |
| Midfielder |
Eduard Spertsyan |
Captain and starting midfielder |
| Midfielder |
Ugochukwu Iwu |
Starting midfielder |
| Forward |
Narek Hovhannisyan |
Starting forward |
| Forward |
Artur Miranyan |
Starting forward |
| Forward |
Artur Serobyan |
Starting forward |
| Latvia — Confirmed Starting XI |
| Goalkeeper |
Rihards Matrevics |
Starting goalkeeper |
| Defender |
Dennis Cirkin |
Starting defender |
| Defender |
Deniss Melniks |
Starting defender |
| Defender |
Dmitrijs Zelenkovs |
Starting defender |
| Midfielder |
Lūkass Vapne |
Starting midfielder |
| Midfielder |
Andrejs Cigaņiks |
Starting midfielder |
| Midfielder |
Roberts Uldriķis |
Starting attacking option |
| Forward |
Albert Aleksanjan |
Starting forward |
| Forward |
Maksims Toņisevs |
Starting forward |
| Forward |
Danila Patijcuks |
Starting forward |
⭐ The Pre-Match Conversation
The Armenian camp has framed the fixture as the beginning of a new period for the national team, with captain Eduard Spertsyan describing the match as the start of a “new history” for Armenia.
Melikyan has spoken about the objective of competing at the top of the group and pursuing promotion to League B, while also emphasising the importance of possession and control in his team’s approach.
Latvia’s preparation has centred on a more physical interpretation of the contest, with Nicolato and goalkeeper Frenks Dāvids Orols identifying physical duels as one of the important areas before the game.
Nicolato also indicated that his starting eleven had been settled before the team travelled to Yerevan, while Latvia chose not to conduct a full official training session at the Republican Stadium.
Latvian coverage has highlighted Dennis Cirkin’s long-awaited senior international debut as one of the notable personnel developments surrounding the visitors, alongside the introduction of several newer players into the squad.
The tactical question is therefore fairly direct: can Armenia’s technical quality and Spertsyan’s influence between the lines consistently move Latvia out of its defensive shape, or can the visitors turn physical contests and quick transitions into their main route forward?
🔎 Key Points Before the First Whistle
- Armenia enter the campaign with Yeghishe Melikyan in charge and have targeted a strong Group C2 start.
- Eduard Spertsyan captains Armenia and starts the match after speaking about a new chapter for the national side.
- Latvia are beginning another Nations League campaign under Paolo Nicolato and have brought several new faces into the squad.
- Dennis Cirkin is named in Latvia’s starting side for his long-awaited senior international debut.
- Armenia have several confirmed injury absences, while Latvia’s Kristers Penkevics is unavailable through injury.
- The recent competitive meetings between the nations favour Armenia historically, but both teams arrive with changed personnel and coaching circumstances.
The opening exchanges should reveal how much freedom Armenia’s midfielders are given to receive the ball facing forward.
Spertsyan’s position is particularly important because his ability to connect midfield possession with the attacking line can force Latvia’s defensive players to make difficult decisions about when to step out.
Latvia’s answer should come through compact spacing, physical challenges and quick movement into the areas vacated when Armenia commit numbers forward.
The visitors also have experienced options such as Cigaņiks and Uldriķis around a group containing younger international players, giving Nicolato different ways to balance control with direct attacking play.
For Melikyan, the opening match is an opportunity to establish the principles he has discussed publicly without relying on the personnel that injury has removed from his squad.
For Nicolato, the challenge is to make Latvia competitive in Yerevan while giving the new-look side enough attacking threat to avoid spending the entire contest defending without the ball.
