Manager Robert Page featured in a 2-0 friendly victory the last time Wales travelled to Latvia back in 2004, but there was far more riding on this fixture for the under-pressure Dragons boss.
With that in mind, the visitors began on the front foot, and looked particularly threatening from set pieces, as Ben Davies forced an early save from Roberts Ozols.
The away side remained on top, eventually breaking the deadlock as the half-hour mark approached. A clumsy challenge from Kaspars Dubra on the back of Harry Wilson allowed captain Aaron Ramsey to calmly put his side ahead from the spot.
Neco Williams and Brennan Johnson each came close soon after, though a late first-half flurry from Latvia served as a reminder of how narrow Wales’ lead still was.
Having conceded first in 11 of their previous 12 home ECQ ties, it was familiar territory for Latvia. And there was no let up after HT either, with Johnson leading the Dragons’ offensive as they searched for a second goal.
And with 64 minutes on the clock, a potentially pivotal incident saw Jānis Ikaunieks receive a yellow card for a reckless challenge, but it was a decision surprisingly not upgraded after VAR intervention.
Latvia sought to take advantage of their good fortune, coming closest from Ikaunieks curled effort into the side-netting, but Wales sealed victory deep into stoppage time with a chipped finish from David Brooks, to complete the Group D double over their Baltic opponents, and put the extension of their perfect H2H record against Latvia to three wins from three beyond all doubt.
A third successive Euro finals qualification hangs in the balance, with Wales now level on points with Armenia, but still three adrift of the top-two.
As for Latvia, a fifth consecutive defeat in Group D adds to a dismal record of just one win in 12 home ECQs (D1, L10) since 2011.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Harry Wilson (Wales)
