Glentoran's early lead undone by RFS at the Oval in first leg

Martins Kigurs sealed the decisive moment with a 30‑yard strike that put RFS ahead with 20 minutes remaining in the first‑leg qualifier at the Oval. Glentoran opened their European campaign with a narrow 2‑1 loss to the Latvian side in the Conference League first round, leaving the Glens trailing after the match.

Debutant Zeno Rossi gave the Glens an early lead, heading home from Ryan Cooney’s cross seven minutes before the break. Substitute Martins Kigurs responded for RFS on the stroke of half‑time, leveling the score before the interval.

Kigurs then added his second, the ambitious 30‑yard effort that proved sufficient to secure the visitors’ advantage with 20 minutes to go. The goal came after RFS had earlier seen a potential strike from striker Rostand Ndjiki ruled out by referee Ross Hardie for a build‑up foul.

Glentoran’s chances continued as Aaron McEneff struck from the edge of the box, only to see his right‑footed effort sail over the bar. Earlier, Billy Crellin tipped a close‑range effort onto the post, denying Kigurs his first‑half equaliser before the substitute eventually found the net. In the second half, Stefan Panic fired just over the cross‑bar after linking with Ndjiki, while Jevgenijs Nerugals struggled to keep the ball out of his own net.

The two sides will meet again in Latvia for the second leg on Thursday, 16 July, giving RFS a slender advantage to protect. Glentoran’s manager Declan Devine will need to overturn the deficit as the Glens head back to the Oval for the return fixture.

RFS’s goalscorer Martins Kigurs now carries the momentum into the away leg, while Glentoran must regroup after the narrow defeat. The result leaves the Northern Irish club with a task to win in the European Conference League to stay in the competition.