Other events in Baltic States

Former Latvian national team forward Marians Pahars has been confirmed the new head coach of the Latvian national men's football team, the Latvian Football Federation has announced.

Pahars was confirmed the new head coach of the national team during an emergency federation board meeting. The decision was made after the team's current head coach Aleksandrs Starkovs submitted his resignation after a disappointing start to the qualification campaign for the 2014 World Cup, informs LETA.

Pahars was previously the coach of the Latvian U-21 men's team.

The 36-year-old Pahars began his coaching career in 2010, becoming an assistant for Latvian football club ''Skonto'' and later becoming the club's head coach. Pahars later left ''Skonto'' last year to become the head coach of the Latvian U-21 squad.

Pahars has played in 75 games for the Latvian national team, scoring 15 goals. The Latvian football team is currently ranked 119th in the FIFA world rankings, which is the lowest ranking in Latvia's football history.

At the moment, Latvia is in fifth place in World Cup qualification Group G with four points from six matches. The Latvian team has five more matches scheduled for this year – an exhibition game against Estonia on August 14, followed by the final World Cup qualifiers in September and October.

The qualification campaign for the 2016 European Men's Football Championships (EURO 2016) will kick-off in September 2014.

As reported, Starkovs was the head coach of the Latvian national team from 2001 to 2004. He coached the Latvian football team that historically qualified for the 2004 European Football Championships (EURO 2004).

He returned to coach the Latvian national team in 2007.