Preview: Armenia vs. Latvia - prediction, team news, lineups

Armenia and Latvia will lock horns in the UEFA Nations League on Friday night.

The duo are competing in Group 2 of League C in the 2026-27 tournament alongside Montenegro and Cyprus, with the winner of the section earning automatic promotion to League B.

Match preview

Armenia have played in Group D, Group C and Group B in the Nations League since the tournament started, and they have taken to the field on 26 occasions in the competition, boasting a record of nine wins, four draws and 13 defeats.

Yeghishe Melikyan's side will have their eyes on top spot in Group 2 of League C, which would see them secure automatic promotion to League B.

Second position in the section, meanwhile, would see them book a spot in the promotion playoffs, and it is shaping up to be a fascinating group due to the presence of Montenegro and Cyprus.

It is more than a year since Armenia last won a game of football, losing five and drawing two of their last seven games, including a 1-1 draw with Moldova in their last fixture back in June.

Armenia have faced Latvia on six occasions in all competitions, boasting a record of three wins, one draw and two defeats, and they have been victorious in the last two games between the two teams.

Latvia's last victory over Armenia was a 2-0 success in a European Championship qualification fixture in October 2023, but it was 2-1 to the latter in their last clash in November 2024.

The visitors are competing in League C in the Nations League for the second time; they have taken to the field on 26 occasions in this tournament, boasting a record of eight wins, 10 draws and eight defeats.

Paolo Nicolato's side competed in the Baltic Cup in June, losing on penalties to Lithuania in the semi-finals of the tournament, before suffering a 1-0 loss to Faroe Islands in the third-placed playoff.

Latvia have won two of their last four matches, though, including 1-0 wins over Gibraltar in both legs of their Nations League relegation playoff back in March.

Nicolato's side are currently ranked 137th in the world by FIFA, while Armenia are 107th.

Armenia form (all competitions):

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Latvia form (all competitions):

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Team News

Armenia will again be looking to Eduard Spertsyan for inspiration in this match, with the 26-year-old bidding to add to the 12 goals that he has scored for the national side.

Meanwhile, there should be spots in the final third of the field for Artur Serobyan, Zhirayr Shaghoyan and Artur Miranyan.

There should also be a position in the XI for Georgy Arutyunyan.

Latvia, meanwhile, could hand a debut to Queens Park Rangers defender Dennis Cirkin, who has recently switched his international allegiance after previously playing for England at youth level.

The visitors have quality in the final third of the field, with Janis Ikaunieks and Vladislavs Gutkovskis likely to feature as the front two; the pair have 26 international goals between them.

Armenia possible starting lineup:

Cancarevic; Arutyunyan, Tiknizyan, Piloyan, Bueno; Spertsyan, Iwu, Sevikyan; Serobyan, Shaghoyan, Miranyan

Latvia possible starting lineup:

Matrevics; Savalnieks, Balodis, Melniks, Cirkin; Saveljevs, Emsis, Vapne, Grabovskis; Ikaunieks, Gutkovskis

We say: Armenia 1-1 Latvia

We are expecting Friday's match to be tight in terms of the scoreline; Armenia have home advantage, but Latvia should be good enough to secure a share of the spoils.