2012 Latvian Higher League

Last updated
Latvian Higher League
Season2012
Champions FC Daugava
Relegated FB Gulbene
Champions League FC Daugava
Europa League Skonto Riga
FK Ventspils
SK Liepājas Metalurgs
Matches played180
Goals scored494 (2.74 per match)
Top goalscorerMamuka Ghonghadze (18)
Biggest home win Jūrmala 6-1 Daugava Daugavpils
Skonto Rīga 5-0 Metta/LU
Ventspils 5-0 Daugava Rīga
Biggest away win Metta/LU 1-6 Ventspils
Gulbene 2005 0-5 Ventspils
Metta/LU 0-5 Daugava Daugavpils
Highest scoring Jelgava 3-4 Daugava Rīga
Metta/LU 1-6 Ventspils
Jūrmala 6-1 Daugava Daugavpils
Daugava Rīga 2-5 Spartaks
Spartaks 3-4 Metta/LU
← 2011
2013 →

The 2012 Latvian Higher League was the 21st season of top-tier football in Latvia. It began on 24 March 2012 and ended on 10 November 2012. [1] FK Ventspils are the defending champions.

Contents

The league comprised ten teams, one more than in the previous season.

Teams

The league returned to a ten-team circuit after having been forced to play the 2011 season with only nine teams, following the withdrawal of SK Blāzma a few weeks before the season commenced. As a consequence of the Blāzma withdrawal, no team was directly relegated.

2011 Latvian First League champions FS METTA/Latvijas Universitāte from Riga were directly promoted. The team, which was founded by the METTA football school and the University of Latvia in 2007, entered the Higher League for the first time in their history.

JFK Olimps/RFS finished the 2011 season in ninth place and were therefore required to compete in a two-legged promotion/relegation play-off against First Division runners-up Spartaks Jūrmala. Spartaks won the play-off 4–1 on aggregate and were therefore promoted to the Higher League. Similar to METTA/LU, they made their debut at the highest level of the Latvian football pyramid. Accordingly, Olimps/RFS were relegated to the First League after five seasons at the top flight.

Stadiums and locations

Following the promotion of FK Spartaks, the city of Jūrmala should have featured three clubs during the 2012 season, one more than the capital, Riga, but FK Jūrmala-VV moved to Riga, changing their name to Daugava Riga.

ClubLocationStadiumCapacity
Flag of Daugavpils.svg FC Daugava Daugavpils Daugava Stadium 4,100
Flag of Riga.svg FK Daugava Rīga Riga Daugava Stadium 5,000
Flag of Gulbene.svg FB Gulbene Gulbene Gulbenes Sporta Centrs 1,500
Bandera Jelgava.png FK Jelgava Jelgava Zemgales Olimpiskais Sporta Centrs 2,200
Bandera jurmala.png FC Jūrmala Jūrmala Slokas Stadium 5,000
Flag of Liepaja.svg SK Liepājas Metalurgs Liepāja Daugava Stadium 5,083
Flag of Riga.svg FS Metta/LU Riga Rīgas 49. vidusskola Stadium 250
Flag of Riga.svg Skonto FC Riga Skonto Stadium 10,000
Bandera jurmala.png FK Spartaks Jūrmala JūrmalaSlokas Stadium5,000
Flag of Ventspils.svg FK Ventspils Ventspils Olimpiskais Stadium 3,200

Personnel and kits

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players and Managers may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

TeamManagerCaptainKit manufacturerShirt sponsor
FC Daugava Flag of Moldova.svg Ivan Tabanov Flag of Latvia.svg Jurijs Sokolovs Erreà —
FK Daugava Rīga Flag of Latvia.svg Jurijs Popkovs Flag of Latvia.svg Vadims Gospodars Adidas —
FB Gulbene Flag of Latvia.svg Mihails Koņevs Flag of Latvia.svg Alberts Nikoļskis Erreà Piebalga
FK Jelgava Flag of Latvia.svg Dainis Kazakevičs Flag of Latvia.svg Valērijs Redjko Macron LDz Cargo
FC Jūrmala Flag of Latvia.svg Vladimirs Pačko Flag of Latvia.svg Maksims Daņilovs Givova—
SK Liepājas Metalurgs Flag of Latvia.svg Jānis Intenbergs Flag of Lithuania.svg Tomas Tamošauskas Adidas —
FS Metta/LU Flag of Latvia.svg Andris Riherts Flag of Latvia.svg Romāns Rožkovskis Nike SMS Credit.lv
Skonto FC Flag of Latvia.svg Marians Pahars Flag of Latvia.svg Germans Māliņš Kappa —
FK Spartaks Jūrmala Flag of Lithuania.svg Arminas Narbekovas Flag of Latvia.svg Nauris Bulvītis Masita—
FK Ventspils Flag of Latvia.svg Jurģis Pučinskis Flag of Latvia.svg Vitālijs Smirnovs Adidas VK Tranzīts

Managerial changes

TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointment
Daugava Daugavpils Flag of Russia.svg Leonid Nazarenko Sacked2011-12-22pre-season Flag of Russia.svg Ravil Sabitov 2011-12-22
Spartaks Jūrmala Flag of Latvia.svg Artūrs Šketovs Sacked2012-02-02pre-season Flag of Latvia.svg Oļegs Blagonadeždins 2012-02-02
Daugava Daugavpils Flag of Russia.svg Ravil Sabitov Sacked2012-04-29 [2] 5th Flag of Moldova.svg Ivan Tabanov 2012-05-05
Liepājas Metalurgs Flag of Latvia.svg Vladimirs Osipovs Sacked2012-05-01 [3] 6th Flag of Latvia.svg Jānis Intenbergs 2012-05-24
FK Ventspils Flag of Ukraine.svg Sergey Podpaly Sacked2012-05-18 [4] 4th Flag of Latvia.svg Jurģis Pučinskis 2012-05-18
Spartaks Jūrmala Flag of Latvia.svg Oļegs Blagonadeždins Sacked2012-07-204th Flag of Lithuania.svg Arminas Narbekovas 2012-07-23

Broadcasting

Just as last season most of the matches were transmitted live via sportacentrs.com online and Sportacentrs' TV channel. [5] In June 2012 broadcasting rights were also bought by the English company Bet365. [6] Since 2012 league's homepage futbolavirsliga.lv has been active and since September 2012 this website has been accompanied by InStat Football system, showing information and analysis of each match individually. [7] Since October 2012 Virslīga has also had its own analytical broadcast after each round of matches, with football experts discussing the games and future events connected to Latvian football. It's transmitted via Sportacentrs TV. [8]

League table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification or relegation
1 Daugava Daugavpils (C)3623946425+3978Qualification for Champions League second qualifying round
2 Skonto 36211145822+3674Qualification for Europa League first qualifying round
3 Ventspils 3623586322+4174Qualification for Europa League first qualifying round [lower-alpha 1]
4 Liepājas Metalurgs 3621786033+2770Qualification for Europa League first qualifying round
5 Spartaks Jūrmala 361310136156+549
6 Jūrmala 36109174749−239
7 Jelgava 36710193256−2431
8 METTA/LU 3678213982−4329
9 Daugava Rīga (O)36512194279−3727Qualification for relegation play-offs
10 FB Gulbene (R)3659222870−4224Relegation to Latvian First League
Source: LFF:Virslīga 2012
Rules for classification: 1st points; 2nd head-to-head points; 3rd head-to-head goal difference; 4th overall wins; 5th goal difference; 6th goals scored
(C) Champion; (O) Play-off winner; (R) Relegated
Notes:

Relegation play-offs

The 9th-placed sides will face the runners-up of the 2012 Latvian First League in a two-legged play-off, with the winner being awarded a spot in the 2013 Higher League competition. The dates and exact sequence of these matches are still to be determined.

FK Daugava Rīga 1–0 BFC Daugava
Broders Soccerball shade.svg54' Report
Daugava Stadium, Riga
Referee: Aleksandrs Golubevs
BFC Daugava 1–3 FK Daugava Rīga
Ostrovskis Soccerball shade.svg68' Report Soccerball shade.svg6' Gospodarjs
Soccerball shade.svg21' Kapustas
Soccerball shade.svg70' Kārkliņš
Daugava Stadium, Daugavpils
Referee: Andris Treimanis

Results

Season statistics

Top scorers

As of 7 November 2012
RankPlayerClubGoals
1 Flag of Georgia.svg Mamuka Ghonghadze FC Daugava 18
2 Flag of Japan.svg Yōsuke Saito FB Gulbene/FK Ventspils 15
3 Flag of Colombia.svg David Cortés FK Spartaks Jūrmala 12
Flag of Latvia.svg Daniils Turkovs FK Ventspils
5 Flag of Latvia.svg Antons Jemeļins FK Spartaks Jūrmala 11
Flag of Lithuania.svg Tadas Labukas Skonto FC
Flag of Latvia.svg Valērijs Šabala Skonto FC
7 Flag of Nigeria.svg Stanley Ibe FC Daugava 10
Flag of Latvia.svg Valērijs Afanasjevs SK Liepājas Metalurgs
Flag of Latvia.svg Vladimirs Kamešs SK Liepājas Metalurgs
Flag of Latvia.svg Mārtiņš Milašēvičs FS Metta/LU
Flag of Ghana.svg Patrick Twumasi FK Spartaks Jūrmala
Flag of Latvia.svg Vitālijs Ziļs FK Daugava Rīga

Player of the Month

MonthPlayerClub
March/April [9] Flag of Japan.svg Yōsuke Saito Gulbene
May [10] Flag of Georgia.svg Mamuka Ghonghadze Daugava Daugavpils
June [11] Flag of Latvia.svg Valērijs Šabala Skonto Riga
July [12] Flag of Russia.svg Sergei Yashin Daugava Daugavpils
August [13] Flag of Lithuania.svg Rytis Leliūga Liepājas Metalurgs
September [14] Flag of Latvia.svg Ģirts Karlsons Liepājas Metalurgs
October/November [15] Flag of Latvia.svg Vladimirs Kamešs Liepājas Metalurgs

Manager of the Month

MonthManagerClub
March/April [9] Flag of Latvia.svg Marians Pahars Skonto Riga
May [10] Flag of Latvia.svg Oļegs Blagonadeždins Spartaks Jūrmala
June [11] Flag of Latvia.svg Marians Pahars Skonto Riga
July [12] Flag of Moldova.svg Ivan Tabanov Daugava Daugavpils
August [13] Flag of Latvia.svg Jurģis Pučinsks Ventspils
September [14] Flag of Latvia.svg Andris Riherts Metta/LU
October/November [16] Flag of Moldova.svg Ivan Tabanov Daugava Daugavpils

Team of the Tournament

LFF version

PositionPlayerClub
Goalkeeper Flag of Latvia.svg Germans Māliņš Skonto Riga
Defender Flag of Russia.svg Dmitri Polovinchuk Daugava Daugavpils
Defender Flag of Latvia.svg Vitālijs Maksimenko Skonto Riga
Defender Flag of Latvia.svg Igors Savčenkovs Skonto Riga
Defender Flag of Latvia.svg Nauris Bulvītis Spartaks Jūrmala
Midfielder Flag of Nigeria.svg Daniel Ola Daugava Daugavpils
Midfielder Flag of Latvia.svg Aleksandrs Fertovs Skonto Riga
Midfielder Flag of Turkmenistan.svg Ruslan Mingazov Skonto Riga
Forward Flag of Latvia.svg Vladimirs Kamešs Liepājas Metalurgs
Forward Flag of Japan.svg Yosuke Saito Ventspils
Forward Flag of Georgia.svg Mamuka Ghonghadze Daugava Daugavpils
Manager Flag of Moldova.svg Ivan Tabanov Daugava Daugavpils

Sportacentrs.com version

PositionPlayerClub
Goalkeeper Flag of Latvia.svg Maksims Uvarenko Ventspils
Defender Flag of Russia.svg Dmitri Polovinchuk Daugava Daugavpils
Defender Flag of Latvia.svg Vitālijs Maksimenko Skonto Riga
Defender Flag of Latvia.svg Vitālijs Smirnovs Ventspils
Defender Flag of Latvia.svg Jurijs Sokolovs Daugava Daugavpils
Midfielder Flag of Nigeria.svg Daniel Ola Daugava Daugavpils
Midfielder Flag of Latvia.svg Igors Tarasovs Ventspils
Midfielder Flag of Latvia.svg Mihails Ziziļevs Daugava Daugavpils
Forward Flag of Latvia.svg Vladimirs Kamešs Liepājas Metalurgs
Forward Flag of Nigeria.svg Ahmed Abdultaofik Ventspils
Forward Flag of Nigeria.svg Stanley Ibe Daugava Daugavpils
Manager Flag of Moldova.svg Ivan Tabanov Daugava Daugavpils

Awards

LFF awards 2012
CategoryWinnerClub
Best goalkeeper Flag of Latvia.svg Germans Māliņš Skonto Riga
Best defender Flag of Latvia.svg Vitālijs Maksimenko Skonto Riga
Best midfielder Flag of Latvia.svg Vladimirs Kamešs Liepājas Metalurgs
Best forward Flag of Georgia.svg Mamuka Ghonghadze Daugava Daugavpils
Top scorer Flag of Georgia.svg Mamuka Ghonghadze Daugava Daugavpils
Best U-21 player Flag of Latvia.svg Valērijs Šabala Skonto Riga
Best player Flag of Latvia.svg Vladimirs Kamešs Liepājas Metalurgs
Best manager Flag of Moldova.svg Ivan Tabanov Daugava Daugavpils
Fair play awardClub Daugava Daugavpils
Best match organisationClub Metta/LU

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References

  1. ↑ "2012.gada LATVIJAS FUTBOLA VIRSLĪGAS, SPĒĻU KALENDĀRS". Latvian Football Federation . Retrieved 28 February 2012.
  2. ↑ "Daugavpils Daugava atlaiž galveno treneri Sabitovu". Diena.lv. 2012-05-01.
  3. ↑ "Osipovs atlaists no "Liepājas metalurgs" futbola komandas galvenā trenera amata". Kasjauns.lv. 2012-05-02.
  4. ↑ "FK "Ventspils" atlaiž galveno treneri Podpaliju". TVNET. 2012-05-17.
  5. ↑ "Sportacentrs TV – Sportacentrs.com". sportacentrs.com. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  6. ↑ "Pirmo reizi vēsturē pārdotas Latvijas virslīgas futbola čempionāta interneta translāciju tiesības | Kasjauns.lv". kasjauns.lv. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  7. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-02-19. Retrieved 2012-09-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-02-18. Retrieved 2012-11-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. 1 2 Edmunds Novickis (2012-05-07). "Virslīgas marta/aprīļa labākais spēlētājs Saito, treneris - Pahars". Sportacentrs.com.
  10. 1 2 Jānis Celmiņš (2012-06-05). "Virslīgas labākais spēlētājs maijā – Gongadze; treneris – Blagonadeždins". Sportacentrs.com.
  11. 1 2 Andris Liepa (2012-07-10). "Labākie jūnijā - Šabala un Pahars". Sportacentrs.com.
  12. 1 2 Jānis Celmiņš (2012-08-07). "Jūlijā labākie Daugavpils "Daugavas" pārstāvji Jašins un Tabanovs". Sportacentrs.com.
  13. 1 2 Andrejs Siliņš (2012-09-10). "Virslīgas labākais augustā - Leliūga". Sportacentrs.com. Archived from the original on 2012-10-21.
  14. 1 2 Andris Liepa (2012-10-04). "Labākie septembrī - Karlsons un Riherts". Sportacentrs.com.
  15. ↑ Andris Liepa (2012-11-07). "Oktobra/novembra labākais spēlētājs Kamešs, treneris – Tabanovs". Sportacentrs.com.
  16. ↑ Andris Liepa (2012-11-07). "Oktobra/novembra labākais spēlētājs Kamešs, treneris – Tabanovs". Sportacentrs.com.
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