Aleksandrs Cauna
Encyclopedia
Aleksandrs Cauņa is a Latvia
n football player, currently playing for PFC CSKA Moscow in the Russian Premier League
.
, at youth level Cauņa played for Dinaburg
, being brought to Skonto Riga
system in 2002, where he spent 3 years. In 2006 he joined the Latvian First League
side Olimps Riga, playing 10 matches and scoring 2 goals. In 2006 he re-joined Skonto Riga. He was named the best youth player in Latvia despite playing only half the season in 2006.
On 2 February 2009 he joined English Championship
club Watford on loan until the end of the 2008-09 season, with a view to a permanent move. On 3 March he made his debut, coming on as a 74th minute substitute for Jon Harley
in the 2–1 defeat at to Plymouth Argyle
at Home Park
. Cauņa scored his first Watford goal on his full debut for the club, firing a powerful half-volley in a 2–2 draw with Southampton
at Vicarage Road
on 7 April 2009. He returned to Skonto at the end of the season.
On 25 August 2010 he went on trial with English Premier League side Blackpool
, playing in their Lancashire Senior Cup
tie against Morecambe
later the same day at Bloomfield Road
, but didn't stay with the club.
At the start of 2011 Cauņa went on trial with the Russian Premier League
side PFC CSKA Moscow, and on 1 February 2011 he was loaned to the club for 4 months. He made his debut on 17 February in the UEFA Europa League match against PAOK.
On 27 June 2011 CSKA bought out his rights from Skonto and he signed a five-year contract with CSKA. On October 18, 2011 Cauņa scored his first goal in the UEFA Champions League
group stages in a 3-0 victory over Trabzonspor
.
side since his international debut in 2007. He scored his first two international goals in 2009 - in the 2010 FIFA World Cup
qualification matches against Luxembourg
(a 4-0 win) and Switzerland
(a 2-2 draw). His third goal came on 11 August 2010 in a 4-1 friendly match defeat to Czech Republic
. It was his first appearance after recovering from a serious injury and being out of football for almost six months. On 12 October he scored an excellent last minute bicycle kick
to level against Georgia
on UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
match. In 2008 he helped the team win the Baltic Cup. As of 29 June 2011 he has made 26 appearances for the national team, scoring 8 goals.
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
n football player, currently playing for PFC CSKA Moscow in the Russian Premier League
Russian Premier League
The Russian Premier League , currently called SOGAZ Russian Football Championship due to sponsorship reasons, is the top division of Russian football. There are 16 teams in the competition...
.
Club career
Born in DaugavpilsDaugavpils
Daugavpils is a city in southeastern Latvia, located on the banks of the Daugava River, from which the city gets its name. Daugavpils literally means "Daugava Castle". With a population of over 100,000, it is the second largest city in the country after the capital Riga, which is located some...
, at youth level Cauņa played for Dinaburg
Dinaburg FC
Dinaburg FC was a Latvian football club, playing in the city of Daugavpils. In 2009 it merged with FK Daugava. The club plays at the Daugava Stadium . In October 2009 the club was eliminated from Virsliga and also from The Baltic League, because of suspicion about totalizator playing at the club...
, being brought to Skonto Riga
Skonto FC
Skonto FC is a Latvian football club, founded in 1991. The club plays at the Skonto Stadium in Riga. Skonto won the Virsliga in the first 14 seasons of the league's existence , and often provides the core of the Latvia national football team...
system in 2002, where he spent 3 years. In 2006 he joined the Latvian First League
Latvian First League
The Latvian First League is the second tier of football in Latvia and is organised by the Latvian Football Federation. From the 2007 season, the tournament has been known as the Traffic 1. līga, due to its sponsorship by the "Traffic auto advert" advertising company.-Format:There are 14 clubs in...
side Olimps Riga, playing 10 matches and scoring 2 goals. In 2006 he re-joined Skonto Riga. He was named the best youth player in Latvia despite playing only half the season in 2006.
On 2 February 2009 he joined English Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
club Watford on loan until the end of the 2008-09 season, with a view to a permanent move. On 3 March he made his debut, coming on as a 74th minute substitute for Jon Harley
Jon Harley
Jon Harley is an English footballer who has played for Chelsea, Wimbledon, Fulham, Sheffield United, West Ham United, Burnley, Watford and Notts County.-Chelsea:...
in the 2–1 defeat at to Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
at Home Park
Home Park
Home Park is an all-seater football stadium in the Central Park area of Plymouth, England, and is the home of Football League Two club Plymouth Argyle. The ground, given the nickname the Theatre of Greens by the club's supporters, has been Argyle's permanent residence since 1901...
. Cauņa scored his first Watford goal on his full debut for the club, firing a powerful half-volley in a 2–2 draw with Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
at Vicarage Road
Vicarage Road
Vicarage Road, a stadium in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, is the home of the football club Watford and their tenants, the Saracens rugby union club. An all-seater stadium, its current capacity is 17,477.-History:...
on 7 April 2009. He returned to Skonto at the end of the season.
On 25 August 2010 he went on trial with English Premier League side Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
, playing in their Lancashire Senior Cup
Lancashire Senior Cup
The Lancashire County Football Association Cup , is a football knockout tournament involving teams from Lancashire, England and surrounding areas. It is a County Cup competition of the Lancashire County Football Association and involves Premier League clubs and Football League clubs...
tie against Morecambe
Morecambe F.C.
Morecambe Football Club is an English football club based in Morecambe, Lancashire. It plays its football in League Two, the fourth division of English football, having been promoted in 2007 for the first time in their history to the Football League. They played their home matches at Christie Park...
later the same day at Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road is an all-seater football stadium in the English town of Blackpool, Lancashire. It has been the permanent home of Blackpool F.C. since 1901 and is named after the road on which the stadium's main entrance used to stand. The stadium has been in a process of redevelopment since 2000...
, but didn't stay with the club.
At the start of 2011 Cauņa went on trial with the Russian Premier League
Russian Premier League
The Russian Premier League , currently called SOGAZ Russian Football Championship due to sponsorship reasons, is the top division of Russian football. There are 16 teams in the competition...
side PFC CSKA Moscow, and on 1 February 2011 he was loaned to the club for 4 months. He made his debut on 17 February in the UEFA Europa League match against PAOK.
On 27 June 2011 CSKA bought out his rights from Skonto and he signed a five-year contract with CSKA. On October 18, 2011 Cauņa scored his first goal in the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
group stages in a 3-0 victory over Trabzonspor
Trabzonspor
Trabzonspor is a professional Turkish football club located in the city of Trabzon, Turkey. Formed in 1967 through a merger of several local clubs, Trabzonspor won six championships in Turkish Super League. The Club won their first Championship title in 1975 which is also the Club's initiation year...
.
International career
Cauņa has been a vital member of the LatvianLatvia national football team
The Latvian national football team is controlled by the Latvian Football Federation, the governing body for football in Latvia and represents the country in international football competitions, such as the World Cup and the European Championships. So far, they have never qualified for a FIFA World...
side since his international debut in 2007. He scored his first two international goals in 2009 - in the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
qualification matches against Luxembourg
Luxembourg national football team
The Luxembourg national football team is the national football team of Luxembourg, and is controlled by the Luxembourg Football Federation. The team play most of their home matches at the Stade Josy Barthel, in Luxembourg.- History :...
(a 4-0 win) and Switzerland
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
(a 2-2 draw). His third goal came on 11 August 2010 in a 4-1 friendly match defeat to Czech Republic
Czech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
. It was his first appearance after recovering from a serious injury and being out of football for almost six months. On 12 October he scored an excellent last minute bicycle kick
Bicycle kick
A Bicycle kick or Scissor kick is a physical move made by throwing the body up into the air, making a shearing movement with the legs to get one leg in front of the other without holding on to the ground. The move can either be done backwards or sideways...
to level against Georgia
Georgia national football team
The Georgia national football team is the national association football team of Georgia and is controlled by the Georgian Football Federation. The Georgian team's first match took place in 1990, while Georgia was still part of the Soviet Union. The team have attempted to qualify for each major...
on UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
The qualifying competition for UEFA Euro 2012 is a series of parallel association football competitions held over 2010 and 2011 to decide the qualifiers for UEFA Euro 2012, to be held in Poland and Ukraine...
match. In 2008 he helped the team win the Baltic Cup. As of 29 June 2011 he has made 26 appearances for the national team, scoring 8 goals.
Honours
- Virsliga champion: 1
- 20102010 Latvian Higher League2010 Latvian Higher League was the 19th season of top-tier football in Latvia. It began on 9 April 2010 with the first round of games. Liepājas Metalurgs were the defending champions, having won their second league title last season....
- 2010
- Russian Cup: 1
- 2011
- Baltic CupBaltic CupThe Baltic Cup is a biennial football competition contested between national teams from the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania every two years. During the Soviet era, Belarus also participated in some of the competitions...
: 1- 2008
External links
- Aleksandrs Cauna player profie at skontofc.lv
- Aleksandrs Cauna player profie at watfordfc.com
- Aleksandrs Cauņa player profile at national-football-teams.com
- Aleksandrs Cauņa player profile at uk.soccerway.com
- Aleksandrs Cauņa player profile at lff.lv