RIGA — Latvia’s footballers were unlucky not to topple the Swiss at home last night and join them at the top of their group on the road to qualifying for World Cup 2010. Latvia just couldn’t break the 2-2 deadlock late in the game.

For the second time in a number of weeks, a Latvia and the Swiss faced off at Skonto Stadium. The last match most Latvia football fans would rather forget, but this time the Latvians competed strongly against the heavily-favored Swiss.

For most of the first half neither team was able to make the most of their limited opportunities. As usual Latvian veteran Māris Verpakovkis looked lively and proved a handful for the Swiss, often beating his man one-on-one. For all money it looked as if both teams would go into the sheds at half-time tied in a goose egg stalemate until Benjamin Huggel’s cross in the 43rd found the head of his captain Alexander Frei giving the Swiss their first of the night. Ironically the goal came around the same time that Latvia’s fate in basketball’s Euroleague ‘09 was being decided in Poland.

The Latvians started the second well. When they finally got on the board after the hour, it was again Verpakovkis who was in the thick of the action, delivering a short pass to Aleksandrs Cauņa which put him in enough space to put one past Swiss goalie Diego Benaglio to tie the game at one apiece.

The Latvians soon struck again in the 75th when Vitālijs Astafjevs managed to put a second past Benaglio. Some began to sense an historic Latvian victory as they continued to attack the Swiss until a slight lapse of concentration in the 80th cost them victory and three points. After successfully seeing off a free shot from just outside of the box, the Swiss found the head of substitute Ottmar Hitzfeld who managed to score with his first touch of the night.

Latvia will be happy enough to come away with one point but blew a golden opportunity to go to the top of the group. Latvia’s next challenge will ultimately decide there fate when they meet Greece in Athens on Oct. 10. Victory there should assure that Latvia will at least make it through to the repechage stage of qualifying for South Africa. Anything less than a draw places their fate in the hands of others.