2015 Latvian Higher League
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| 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[edit]
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[edit]
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[edit]
| 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[edit]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liepāja (C) | 24 | 15 | 7 | 2 | 48 | 23 | +25 | 52 | Qualification for the Champions League second qualifying round |
| 2 | Skonto (R) | 24 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 43 | 23 | +20 | 45 | Relegation to the Latvian First League[a] |
| 3 | Ventspils | 24 | 11 | 10 | 3 | 39 | 16 | +23 | 43 | Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round[b] |
| 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 for the relegation play-offs |
| — | Gulbene (D, R) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Exclusion[c] |
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) Champions; (D) Disqualified; (O) Play-off winners; (R) Relegated
Notes:
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) Champions; (D) Disqualified; (O) Play-off winners; (R) Relegated
Notes:
- ^ Skonto failed to obtain a licence to play at the Higher League.
- ^ Jelgava qualified for the Europa League first qualifying round by winning the 2015–16 Latvian Football Cup
- ^ 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[edit]
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.
| Valmiera Glass FK/BSS | 1–3 | FS METTA/LU |
|---|---|---|
Bruno Bērziņš  48' | Ingars Stuglis 50' Gatis Kalniņš 70'Roberts Uldriķis 81' |
| 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' |
FS METTA/LU won 9–3 on aggregate.
Results[edit]
|
|
Season statistics[edit]
Top scorers[edit]
- As of 7 November 2015
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Dāvis Ikaunieks | Liepāja | 15 |
| 2 | Vladislavs Gutkovskis | Skonto | 10 |
 Ndue Mujeci | Ventspils | ||
| 4 | Ģirts Karlsons | Ventspils | 8 |
| Andrejs Kovaļovs | Skonto |
Updated to match(es) played on 7 November 2015.
Source:UEFA
References[edit]
- ^ Rolands Eliņš (2015-03-13). ""Liepāja" un "Skonto" Virslīgas jaunās sezonas pirmajā mačā". Sportacentrs.com.
- ^ 'Gulbenes' dublieru komanda varēs turpināt piedalīties Latvijas dublieru čempionātā, Delfi, 4 June 2015, accessed 10 June 2015
- ^ "LFF DK 3.JŪNIJA SĒDES LĒMUMI" [LFF DK JUNE 3 MEETING DECISIONS] (in Latvian). Latvian Football Federation. 3 June 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
- ^ 'Gulbenes' dublieru komanda varēs turpināt piedalīties Latvijas dublieru čempionātā, Delfi, 4 June 2015, accessed 10 June 2015
- ^ "2015. GADA LATVIJAS VIRSLĪGAS FUTBOLA ČEMPIONĀTA REGLAMENTS" (PDF) (in Latvian). Latvian Football Federation. 8 January 2015. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2018. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
- ^ "Virsliga 2015 - Season rules". Scoresway. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 26 July 2015.