2015 Latvian Higher League

Latvian Higher League
Season 2015
Champions Liepāja
Champions League Liepāja
Matches played 55
Goals scored 123 (2.24 per match)
Top goalscorer Dāvis Ikaunieks (15)
Biggest home win Skonto 4-0 FS Metta/LU
(5 June 2015)
Biggest away win FS Metta/LU 1-5 Skonto
(10 August 2015)
Highest scoring FS Metta/LU 1-5 Skonto
(10 August 2015)
Longest winning run 3 matches
Skonto
FK Liepāja
FK Jelgava
Longest unbeaten run 13 matches
Ventspils
Longest winless run 7 matches
FS Metta/LU
Longest losing run 4 matches
FS Metta/LU
2014
2016

The 2015 Latvian Higher League is the 24th season of top-tier football in Latvia. FK Ventspils are the defending champions. The season started on 13 March 2015.[1]

Teams

FC Jūrmala relegated at the end of last season, and was replaced by FB Gulbene, which returned to the highest level after two years. Because FC Daugava did not obtain a license to play in the 2015 Higher League, and FK Daugava was dissolved before the beginning of the new season, the league started with 8 participants. On 3 June 2015, FB Gulbene was expelled from the top league and their results expunged on suspicion of match-fixing.[2]

Stadiums and locations

Locations of the 2015 Latvian Higher League teams
Club Location Stadium Capacity
BFC Daugavpils Daugavpils Celtnieks Stadium 3,980
FB Gulbene Gulbene Gulbenes Sporta Centrs 1,500
FK Jelgava Jelgava Zemgales Olimpiskais Sporta Centrs 2,200
FK Liepāja Liepāja Daugava Stadium 6,000
FS Metta/LU Riga Stadions Arkādija 500
Skonto FC Riga Skonto Stadium 10,000
FK Spartaks Jūrmala Jūrmala Slokas Stadium 5,000
FK Ventspils Ventspils Olimpiskais Stadium 3,200

Kits manufacturer and sponsors

Club Kit manufacturer Sponsor
BFC Daugavpils Adidas Intergaz
FB Gulbene Jako
FK Jelgava Nike Igate
FK Liepāja Adidas
FS Metta/LU Nike
Skonto FC Jako SA Football Agency
FK Spartaks Jūrmala Nike Hanseatisches Fußball Kontor
FK Ventspils Adidas VK Tranzīts

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Liepāja (C, Q) 24 15 7 2 48 23 +25 52 Qualification to Champions League second qualifying round
2 Skonto (Q) 24 13 6 5 43 23 +20 45 Qualification to Europa League first qualifying round
3 Ventspils (Q) 24 11 10 3 39 16 +23 43
4 Jelgava 24 11 8 5 26 18 +8 41
5 Spartaks Jūrmala 24 5 6 13 20 36 16 21
6 BFC Daugavpils 24 2 8 14 14 37 23 14
7 METTA/LU (O) 24 3 3 18 19 56 37 12 Qualification to Relegation play-offs
Gulbene (D, R) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Exclusion[lower-alpha 1]
Source: UEFA Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Matches won; 5) Goal difference; 6) Goals scored; 7) Fairplay ranking; 8) Play-off.[5][6]
(C) Champion; (D) Disqualified; (O) Play-off winner; (Q) Qualified to the phase indicated; (R) Relegated.
Notes:
  1. On 3 June 2015, Gulbene were excluded from the top league and their results were expunged after suspicion of match-fixing.[3][4]

Relegation play-offs

The 7th-placed side will face the runners-up of the 2015 Latvian First League in a two-legged play-off, with the winner being awarded a spot in the 2016 Higher League competition.

21 November 2015
15:00
Valmiera Glass FK/BSS 1–3 FS METTA/LU
Bruno Bērziņš  48' Ingars Stuglis  50'
Gatis Kalniņš  70'
Roberts Uldriķis  81'
Jānis Daliņš stadium, Valmiera

25 November 2015
19:00
FS METTA/LU 6-2 Valmiera Glass FK/BSS
Roberts Uldriķis  18', 49'
Gatis Kalniņš  37', 90+2'
Armands Pētersons  55'
Rendijs Šibass  75'
Jānis Lapss  70'
Valts Jaunzems  77'
Hanzas vidusskolas laukums, Riga

FS METTA/LU won 9–3 on aggregate.

Results

First half of the season

Home ╲ Away BFC JEL LIEMLUSKOSPJVEN
BFC Daugavpils 01 11 20 00 01 11
FK Jelgava 20 12 10 00 11 00
FK Liepāja 11 21 31 32 00 00
FS METTA/LU 21 11 14 01 12 03
Skonto FC 41 10 10 40 21 11
Spartaks Jūrmala 11 00 12 22 10 02
FK Ventspils 30 00 33 20 00 20

Updated to games played on 19 August 2015.
Source: Virslīga 2015 (Latvian)
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Second half of the season

Home ╲ Away BFC JEL LIEMLUSKOSPJVEN
BFC Daugavpils 02 04 00 23 02 11
FK Jelgava 10 11 31 02 10 00
FK Liepāja 10 10 20 22 41 32
FS METTA/LU 02 24 04 15 32 02
Skonto FC 00 23 12 31 21 02
Spartaks Jūrmala 21 01 02 03 13 00
FK Ventspils 40 12 31 30 13 31

Updated to games played on 7 November 2015.
Source: Virslīga 2015 (Latvian)
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Season statistics

Top scorers

As of 7 November 2015
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Latvia Dāvis Ikaunieks Liepāja 15
2 Latvia Vladislavs Gutkovskis Skonto 10
Albania Ndue Mujeci Ventspils
4 Latvia Ģirts Karlsons Ventspils 8
Latvia Andrejs Kovaļovs Skonto

Updated to match(es) played on 7 November 2015.
Source:UEFA

References

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