RIGA (Interstat) — RFS beat Grobina 3-0 on Sunday, pairing a three-goal attack with a shutout while improving to 5-0 in this competition and 5-0 across all competitions. Grobina fell to 1-3 in the competition and 1-3 overall. RFS controlled the match from the early stages, scored in each half and kept Grobina off the scoreboard. The home side’s victory extended its perfect start and left the visitors still searching for consistency after another difficult result. RFS never trailed and managed the game after taking the lead, while Grobina’s best moments came without a finishing touch.

Stefan Panic played all 90 minutes and scored, headlining RFS’s key contributions. Darko Lemajic scored in the 27th minute during a 77-minute outing, Dmitrijs Zelenkovs scored in the 73rd during his 77 minutes, and Alfa Balde provided an assist in 64 minutes. Lemajic’s opener came after a tense opening stretch that included two quick Grobina bookings, and Zelenkovs’ second-half goal gave RFS more separation. Panic’s goal completed the scoring for RFS. The attacking balance allowed the home side to keep pressure on Grobina throughout, and the visitors could not produce a goal in response. RFS’s three goals came from Panic, Lemajic and Zelenkovs, with Balde’s assist adding to the home side’s control.

Grobina’s disciplinary issues began early. Dodo was booked in the 20th minute and Druzinins D. followed in the 21st. Krautmanis J. was cautioned in the 75th and Baydal A. in the 80th. The four yellow cards reflected a difficult night for the visitors as they tried to contain RFS. Grobina made substitutions at 17 minutes (Ribeiro J.), 59 (Baravykas R.) and 71 (Yamada H.). RFS made changes at 64 (Balde A.), 77 (Zelenkovs D. and Lemajic D.) and 87 (Saidy M. and Odisharia L.). The substitutions did not change the match’s direction, and RFS maintained its clean sheet through the final whistle.

RFS entered the match on a four-match winning run, including shutout wins over Super Nova and Tukums 2000, while Grobina had split its previous three, beating Ogre United but falling to Riga FC and Super Nova. RFS continued that form with a clean sheet and three goals, and Grobina could not recover after conceding first. The result kept RFS unbeaten in the competition and overall this season. Grobina’s prior results included a home loss to Riga FC, a home win over Ogre United and a road loss at Super Nova. RFS’s recent run featured wins over Super Nova, Tukums 2000, Super Nova again and Jelgava.

The match’s decisive stretch came when RFS broke through in the 27th minute and then protected its lead through a busy first half that included Grobina’s first substitution and two yellow cards. RFS added another goal in the 73rd minute, and Panic’s full-match performance helped the home side close out the result. Grobina’s later substitutions and bookings could not spark a comeback, and RFS finished with a shutout and a three-goal margin. The visiting side was limited to zero goals and remained at 1-3 in both the competition and across all competitions, while RFS moved to 5-0 in both categories. RFS’s defense held firm after the second goal, and the home side used its substitutions to see out the closing minutes. Grobina pushed for a response but could not break through, and the final whistle confirmed a 3-0 home win.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of RFS 4, Grobina 0. Interstat’s ELO system had projected RFS with a 62.8 percent probability to win. RFS had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -2.5, and the total score of 3 went over the over/under line of 3.5.