2017 Latvian Higher League

Football league season

Latvian Higher LeagueSeason| 2017

|

Dates| 10 March – 4 November 2017
Champions| Spartaks Jūrmala
Champions League| Spartaks Jūrmala
Europa League| Liepāja
Riga
Ventspils
Matches played| 84
Goals scored| 200 (2.38 per match)
Top goalscorer| Yevgeni Kozlov (13)
Biggest home win| Ventspils 4–0 Spartaks
Riga 4–0 METTA/LU
Biggest away win| Jelgava 0–3 Riga
Spartaks 0–3 Ventspils
METTA/LU 2–5 Liepāja
Highest scoring| METTA/LU 2–5 Liepāja

← 2016

2018 →

The 2017 Latvian Higher League is the 26th season of top-tier football in Latvia. Spartaks Jūrmala are the defending champions, having won their first title in the previous season.

## Teams

[edit]

Riga

Babīte

Jelgava

Liepāja

Spartaks Jūrmala

Ventspils

Riga teams:
METTA/LU
RFS
Riga

class=notpageimage|

Locations of the 2017 Latvian Higher League teams

The bottom-placed team from the 2016 season, BFC Daugavpils, were directly relegated to the 2017 Latvian First League. They were replaced by Babīte, champions of the 2016 Latvian First League.

The seventh-placed team from the 2016 season, FS METTA/LU, retained their top-flight spot for the 2017 season by defeating 2016 First League runners-up, AFA Olaine in the play-offs.

Babīte was removed from the league on 22 June 2017 after the Latvian Football Federation received a notice from UEFA's Betting Fraud Detection System for 6 separate games involving Babīte.[1] All the results for Babīte games were invalidated and do not count for the standings.

Club  | Location  | Stadium  | Capacity

|
|
|

Babīte | Piņķi | Piņķu stadions  | 500
Jelgava | Jelgava | Olympic Sports Center of Zemgale | 1,560
Liepāja | Liepāja | Daugava Stadium | 5,008
Metta/LU | Riga | Hanzas vidusskolas laukums  | 2,000
RFS | Riga | Stadions Arkādija | 1,000
Riga | Riga | Skonto Stadium | 8,207
Spartaks Jūrmala | Jūrmala | Slokas Stadium | 2,800
Ventspils | Ventspils | Ventspils Olimpiskais Stadions | 3,044

Source: Scoresway

### Kits manufacturer and sponsors

[edit]

Club  | Kit manufacturer  | Sponsor

|
|

SK Babīte | Joma |
FK Jelgava | Nike | Igate
FK Liepāja | Adidas  | Mogo
FS Metta/LU | Nike  |
Riga FC | Jako |
Rīgas Futbola skola | Nike  | LNK Group
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  | Spartaks Jūrmala (C) | 24  | 14  | 4  | 6  | 36  | 26  | +10  | 46  | Qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round
2  | Liepāja | 24  | 11  | 4  | 9  | 32  | 25  | +7  | 37[a] | Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round[b]
3  | Riga | 24  | 10  | 7  | 7  | 28  | 20  | +8  | 37[a]
4  | Ventspils | 24  | 9  | 8  | 7  | 32  | 22  | +10  | 35[c]
5  | RFS | 24  | 11  | 2  | 11  | 29  | 31  | −2  | 35[c] |
6  | Jelgava | 24  | 8  | 5  | 11  | 22  | 30  | −8  | 29
7  | METTA/LU (O) | 24  | 3  | 6  | 15  | 21  | 46  | −25  | 15  | Qualification for the relegation play-offs
8  | Babīte (D) | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | Excluded from league[d]

Source: Virslīga (in Latvian), Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Goal difference; 5) Goals scored; 6) Fair-play ranking; 7) Play-off.[3][4]
(C) Champions; (D) Disqualified; (O) Play-off winners
Notes:

1. ^ a b Liepāja is ahead of Riga on head-to-head goal difference: Liepāja +1, Riga -1.
2. ^ Liepāja qualified for the Europa League first qualifying round by winning the 2017 Latvian Football Cup.
3. ^ a b Ventspils is ahead of RFS on overall goal difference.
4. ^ Babīte were excluded from the league for match fixing.[2]

## Results

[edit]

Each team will play the other seven teams home-and-away twice, for a total of 28 games each.

First half of the season  | Home \ Away  | BAB | JEL | LIE | MLU | RFS | RIG | SPJ | VEN

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Babīte | -- | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —
Jelgava | —  | -- | 1–2  | 2–0  | 1–1  | 0–3  | 1–2  | 1–0
Liepāja | —  | 3–0  | -- | 0–1  | 0–1  | 0–1  | 1–3  | 1–0
METTA/LU | —  | 1–3  | 1–3  | -- | 3–1  | 0–0  | 2–4  | 1–1
RFS | —  | 0–1  | 2–0  | 3–2  | -- | 0–1  | 2–1  | 4–2
Riga | —  | 1–0  | 0–2  | 2–2  | 3–0  | -- | 1–1  | 0–0
Spartaks Jūrmala | —  | 1–1  | 1–1  | 1–0  | 2–0  | 2–0  | -- | 0–0
Ventspils | —  | 1–2  | 1–1  | 2–0  | 1–0  | 0–0  | 4–0  | --

Source: Virslīga (in Latvian)
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Second half of the season  | Home \ Away  | BAB | JEL | LIE | MLU | RFS | RIG | SPJ | VEN

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Babīte | -- | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —
Jelgava | —  | -- | 1–3  | 1–1  | 1–0  | 1–2  | 1–2  | 0–1
Liepāja | —  | 0–1  | -- | 1–0  | 2–0  | 2–1  | 1–2  | 1–1
METTA/LU | —  | 0–0  | 2–5  | -- | 2–0  | 0–2  | 0–2  | 2–2
RFS | —  | 3–0  | 1–2  | 1–0  | -- | 1–1  | 1–0  | 2–4
Riga | —  | 2–2  | 2–1  | 4–0  | 0–1  | -- | 0–1  | 0–2
Spartaks Jūrmala | —  | 0–1  | 2–0  | 3–1  | 1–3  | 2–0  | -- | 0–3
Ventspils | —  | 1–0  | 0–0  | 3–0  | 1–2  | 0–2  | 2–3  | --

Updated to match(es) played on 28 October 2017. Source: Virslīga (in Latvian)
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

## Relegation play-offs

[edit]

The seventh-placed side faced the runners-up of the 2017 Latvian First League in a two-legged play-off, with the winner being awarded a spot in the 2018 Higher League competition.

Progress/AFA Olaine v METTA/LU 16 November 2017 1st leg| Progress/AFA Olaine| 1–1|  METTA/LU | Olaine

|
|
|
|

| Asgarov 21' | Report | Emsis 7' |

METTA/LU v Progress/AFA Olaine 20 November 2017 2nd leg|  METTA/LU | 3–1
(4–2 agg.)| Progress/AFA Olaine| Riga

|
|
|
|

| Emsis 3'
Fjodorovs 12', 32' | Report | Asgarov 90' | Stadium: Hanzas vidusskolas laukums

## Season statistics

[edit]

### Top scorers

[edit]

As of 4 November 2017[5]
Rank  | Player  | Club  | Goals

|
|
|

1  |  Yevgeni Kozlov | Spartaks Jūrmala | 13
2  |  Artūrs Karašausks | Liepāja | 12
3  |  Adeleke Akinyemi | Ventspils | 10
4  |  Tosin Aiyegun | Ventspils | 9
5  |  Bogdan Vaštšuk | Riga | 8
6  |  Mārcis Ošs | Jelgava | 7
Daniils Ulimbaševs | RFS
8  |  Kristaps Grebis | Liepāja | 6
Ģirts Karlsons | Liepāja
Edgars Gauračs | Spartaks Jūrmala

## References

[edit]

1. ^ ""Babīte / Dynamo" excluded from the Higher League" (in Latvian). SportaCentrs. 22 June 2017.
2. ^ "SK Babīte/Dinamo tiek izslēgta no Virslīgas čempionāta" (in Latvian). LFF. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
3. ^ "2017. GADA LATVIJAS VIRSLĪGAS FUTBOLA ČEMPIONĀTA REGLAMENTS" (PDF) (in Latvian). Latvian Football Federation. 29 November 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
4. ^ "Virslīga 2017 - Season rules". Scoresway. Archived from the original on 28 March 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
5. ^ "Latvian First Division - Top scorers". uefa.com. UEFA. Retrieved 11 May 2017.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website (in Latvian)

* v
* t
* e

Seasons of Top Latvian Football Leagues

Championship|

* 1921
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Higher League|

* 1927
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Latvian SSR|

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Higher League|

* 1992
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* v
* t
* e

2016–17 in European men's football (UEFA)

Domestic leagues|

* Albania
* Andorra
* Armenia
* Austria
* Azerbaijan
* Belarus '16 '17
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* England
* Estonia '16 '17
* Faroe Islands '16 '17
* Finland '16 '17
* France
* Georgia '16 '17
* Germany
* Gibraltar
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland '16 '17
* Israel
* Italy
* Kazakhstan '16 '17
* Kosovo
* Latvia '16 '17
* Lithuania '16 '17
* Luxembourg
* Macedonia
* Malta
* Moldova
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* Northern Ireland
* Norway '16 '17
* Poland
* Portugal
* Republic of Ireland '16 '17
* Romania
* Russia
* San Marino
* Scotland
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden '16 '17
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* Ukraine
* Wales

Domestic cups|

* Albania
* Andorra
* Armenia
* Austria
* Azerbaijan
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* England
* Estonia
* Faroe Islands '16 '17
* Finland '16 '16–'17
* France
* Georgia '16 '17
* Germany
* Gibraltar
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland '16 '17
* Israel
* Italy
* Kazakhstan '16 '17
* Kosovo
* Latvia '16–'17 '17
* Liechtenstein
* Lithuania '16 '17
* Luxembourg
* Macedonia
* Malta
* Moldova
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* Northern Ireland
* Norway '16 '17
* Poland
* Portugal
* Republic of Ireland '16 '17
* Romania
* Russia
* San Marino
* Scotland
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* Ukraine
* Wales

League cups|

* England
* Finland '16
* France
* Iceland '16 '17
* Israel
* Latvia
* Northern Ireland
* Portugal
* Republic of Ireland '16 '17
* Romania
* Scotland
* Wales

Supercups|

* Albania
* Andorra
* Armenia
* Azerbaijan
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Bulgaria
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* England
* Estonia '16 '17
* Faroe Islands
* France
* Georgia '16 '17
* Germany
* Gibraltar
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Israel
* Italy
* Kazakhstan
* Kosovo
* Lithuania '16 '17
* Malta
* Moldova
* Netherlands
* Northern Ireland
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Republic of Ireland '16 '17
* Romania
* Russia
* San Marino
* Slovakia
* Spain
* Turkey
* Ukraine

UEFA competitions|

* Champions League
* qualifying phase and play-off round
* group stage
* knockout phase
* Final
* Europa League
* qualifying phase and play-off round
* group stage
* knockout phase
* Final
* Super Cup
* Youth League
* UEFA Champions League Path
* Domestic Champions Path
* knockout phase

International competitions|

* 2018 FIFA World Cup
* UEFA qualification
* 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup
* 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup
* 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup
* 2017 Euro Under-21
* qualification
* 2017 Euro Under-19
* qualification
* 2017 Euro Under-17
* qualification

* v
* t
* e

2017–18 in European men's football (UEFA)

Domestic leagues|

* Albania
* Andorra
* Armenia
* Austria
* Azerbaijan
* Belarus '17 '18
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* England
* Estonia '17 '18
* Faroe Islands '17 '18
* Finland '17 '18
* France
* Georgia '17 '18
* Germany
* Gibraltar
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland '17 '18
* Israel
* Italy
* Kazakhstan '17 '18
* Kosovo
* Latvia '17 '18
* Lithuania '17 '18
* Luxembourg
* Macedonia
* Malta
* Moldova '17 '18
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* Northern Ireland
* Norway '17 '18
* Poland
* Portugal
* Republic of Ireland '17 '18
* Romania
* Russia
* San Marino
* Scotland
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden '17 '18
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* Ukraine
* Wales

Domestic cups|

* Albania
* Andorra
* Armenia
* Austria
* Azerbaijan
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* England
* Estonia
* Faroe Islands '17 '18
* Finland
* France
* Georgia '17 '18
* Germany
* Gibraltar
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland '17 '18
* Israel
* Italy
* Kazakhstan '17 '18
* Kosovo
* Latvia '17 '18
* Liechtenstein
* Lithuania '17 '18
* Luxembourg
* Macedonia
* Malta
* Moldova
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* Northern Ireland
* Norway '17 '18
* Poland
* Portugal
* Republic of Ireland '17 '18
* Romania
* Russia
* San Marino
* Scotland
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* Ukraine
* Wales

League cups|

* England
* France
* Iceland '17 '18
* Israel
* Latvia
* Northern Ireland
* Portugal
* Republic of Ireland '17 '18
* Scotland
* Wales

Supercups|

* Albania
* Andorra
* Armenia
* Azerbaijan
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Bulgaria
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic & Slovakia
* England
* Estonia '17 '18
* Faroe Islands
* France
* Georgia '17 '18
* Germany
* Gibraltar
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Israel
* Italy
* Kazakhstan
* Lithuania '17 '18
* Malta
* Moldova
* Netherlands
* Northern Ireland
* Norway '17 '18
* Poland
* Portugal
* Republic of Ireland '17 '18
* Romania
* Russia
* San Marino
* Spain
* Turkey
* Ukraine

UEFA competitions|

* Champions League
* qualifying phase and play-off round
* group stage
* knockout phase
* Final
* Europa League
* qualifying phase and play-off round
* group stage
* knockout phase
* Final
* Super Cup
* Youth League
* UEFA Champions League Path
* Domestic Champions Path
* knockout phase

International competitions|

* 2018 FIFA World Cup
* UEFA qualification
* 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup
* 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup
* 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup
* 2019 Euro Under-21
* qualification
* 2018 Euro Under-19
* qualification
* 2018 Euro Under-17
* qualification

*[Pos]: Position
*[Pld]: Played
*[W]: Won
*[D]: Drawn
*[L]: Lost
*[GF]: Goals for
*[GA]: Goals against
*[GD]: Goal difference
*[Pts]: Points
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template