Latvian Higher League
Season2015
ChampionsLiepāja
Champions LeagueLiepāja
Matches played55
Goals scored123 (2.24 per match)
Top goalscorerDāvis Ikaunieks (15)
Biggest home winSkonto 4-0 FS Metta/LU
(5 June 2015)
Biggest away winFS Metta/LU 1-5 Skonto
(10 August 2015)
Highest scoringFS Metta/LU 1-5 Skonto
(10 August 2015)
Longest winning run3 matches
Skonto
FK Liepāja
FK Jelgava
Longest unbeaten run13 matches
Ventspils
Longest winless run7 matches
FS Metta/LU
Longest losing run4 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
Daugavpils
Gulbene
Jelgava
FK Liepāja
FS METTA Skonto
Spartaks
Ventspils
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) 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:
  1. ^ Skonto failed to obtain a licence to play at the Higher League.
  2. ^ Jelgava qualified for the Europa League first qualifying round by winning the 2015–16 Latvian Football Cup
  3. ^ 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.

Valmiera Glass FK/BSS1–3FS METTA/LU
Bruno Bērziņš 48' Ingars Stuglis 50'
Gatis Kalniņš 70'
Roberts Uldriķis 81'
Jānis Daliņš stadium, Valmiera
FS METTA/LU6-2Valmiera 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

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

  1. ^ Rolands Eliņš (2015-03-13). ""Liepāja" un "Skonto" Virslīgas jaunās sezonas pirmajā mačā". Sportacentrs.com.
  2. ^ 'Gulbenes' dublieru komanda varēs turpināt piedalīties Latvijas dublieru čempionātā, Delfi, 4 June 2015, accessed 10 June 2015
  3. ^ "LFF DK 3.JŪNIJA SĒDES LĒMUMI" [LFF DK JUNE 3 MEETING DECISIONS] (in Latvian). Latvian Football Federation. 3 June 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  4. ^ 'Gulbenes' dublieru komanda varēs turpināt piedalīties Latvijas dublieru čempionātā, Delfi, 4 June 2015, accessed 10 June 2015
  5. ^ "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.
  6. ^ "Virsliga 2015 - Season rules". Scoresway. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
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