The first MTG United for Peace football tournament in Latvia was held on 27 August at the Olympic Sports Centre in Riga. The tournament featured seven teams from all over the country – the Valmiera SOS Village, the Imanta Orphanage, the Liepāja Orphanage, the Īslīce SOS Village, the Naujiena Orphanage, the Saurieši Day Centre and the Orphanage Līkumi – all competing for the chance to go to Norway’s capital Oslo to represent their nation in the MTG United for Peace Cup on 10 October this year.
After an exciting day’s football, two teams made it through to the final - the Saurieši Day Centre and the Imanta Orphanage. A close contest was eventually decided by a late goal, which came literally minutes before the final whistle and saw the children from the Imanta Orphanage crowned winners. Following the final, two players from the Latvian national football team showed off their skills for the children.
More football was to come, however, as the hosts of the tournament, TV3, put together an “All-Stars” team to play against the children who got help from Latvian national team players. TV3’s team included Jānis Krēvics, the host of the show Nothing Personal, the journalist Ansis Pūpols, news anchor Ģederts Ģelzis, weather forecaster and Cinema-mania host Jānis Strapcāns, the show Singing with Stars second prize winner Raivo Rosts and sports editor Toms Circenis.
The first 10 minute period was played against seven kids (one from each of the participating teams) whilst the second period was much more exciting because the TV3 hosts had to compete with 14 children (two from each centre) on the pitch at the same time. The All-Stars were defeated 4-1. Still, the stars will have a chance for a rematch next year when the second Latvian MTG United for Peace Cup tournament will take place.
Participating countries
MTG’s charity foundation, MTG United for Peace, is arranging local youth tournaments for children from troubled backgrounds, in the age group 12-14, in Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and Africa. In Ghana, Denmark, Estonia and Latvia the tournaments have already taken place. Ghana will be represented by the team Right to Dream, Denmark by Hjørring IF and Latvia by Imanta. The next tournaments to be played will be in Lithuania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, the United Kingdom, Russia and Hungary. Teams from Sweden and Norway will also take part in the MTG United for Peace Cup which will be held in Oslo in October in conjunction with announcement of the Nobel Peace Prize winner.