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| Career | |
| Position: | Striker |
| Clubs: | Pardaugava (1994), Skonto-Metals (1995), Skonto Riga (1995-98), Southampton (Eng/since Feb 1999) |
| International appearances: | 60 |
| International goals: | 15 |
| International debut: | 12/03/1996, Chyprus-Latvia (1-0) |
| First international goal: | 17/02/1997, Poland-Latvia (3-2) |
| Last international goal: | 22/05/2002, Finland-Latvia (2-1) |
Winner (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998)
Latvian player of the year (2000, 2001)
Biography
When Maris Verpakovskis scored six goals in six games to help surprise package Latvia qualify for Euro 2004 he was in fact taking up the baton from Marians Pahars, who had been the star of the side before him.
Born in the Ukraine, the pint-sized Pahars arrived at Skonto Riga in 1995 at just 19, helping the club win the Latvian title four straight seasons.
His strike rate attracted a 1.2 million euros bid form Southampton, and he found himself on his way to the south coast of England and a Premiership adventure in March 1999.
His talent stood the sturdy test of the English game, his guts, speed and guile winning over the fans of the "Saints", who because of his size and goal rate called him the 'Latvian Michael Owen'.
His biggest fans see him as something of a magician as he shows no fear of attempting the unexpected pass, shot or move. His sang-froid in front of goal serves him well and makes sure he is regularily on the score sheet.
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| Latvia's Marians Pahars (L) figths for the ball against San Marino's Ivan Matteoni during their World 2001 soccer Championship qualification match in San Marino, 15 November 2000. AFP PHOTO EPA/ANSA/GIORGIO BENVENUTI |
In just his sixth league game for Southampton he scored both goals in a 2-0 win over Everton, it was the last day of the season and the three points assured the club's Premier League survival.
While Southampton struggled over the following seasons, Pahars continued to rack up the goals, 13 in the 1999-2000 season, nine in 2000-01 and 16 in 2001-02, regularly making the difference between victory and defeat for the modest side.
A serious ankle injury in November 2002 kept him out of action for the best part of a year. However, in November 2003, Latvia symbolically had him on the bench during their landmark Euro 2004 play-off victory over the Turkish in Istanbul.
National coach Aleksandrs Starkovs brought Pahars on in the final minute of the match with Latvia leading 3-2 on aggregate, an unassailable lead when the two away goals are counted, to give the striker a much needed psychological boost and his 50th cap.
Out at the finals, Latvia take on Holland, the Czech Republic and Germany. The group is considered the toughest first round draw and little is expected of Latvia. However a Pahars-Verpakovskis forward line could well upset one of the big guns in Portugal.