1998 Latvian Higher League

The 1998 season in the Latvian Higher League, named Virslīga, was the 8th domestic competition since the Baltic nation gained independence from the Soviet Union on 6 September 1991. Eight teams competed in this edition, with Skonto FC claiming the title.

Latvian Higher League
Season1998
ChampionsSkonto FC
RelegatedLU-Daugava
Ranto-Miks
UEFA Champions LeagueSkonto FC
UEFA CupLiepajas
FK Ventspils
UEFA Intertoto CupDinaburg FC
Top goalscorerLatvia Viktors Dobrecovs
1997
1999

Final table edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Skonto (C) 28 21 4 3 98 27 +71 67 Qualification for Champions League first qualifying round
2 Liepājas Metalurgs 28 17 6 5 62 25 +37 57 Qualification for UEFA Cup qualifying round
3 Ventspils 28 16 6 6 56 23 +33 54
4 Dinaburg 28 11 10 7 49 31 +18 43 Qualification for Intertoto Cup first round
5 Valmiera 28 10 7 11 39 59 −20 37
6 LU-Daugava (R) 28 7 9 12 42 42 0 30 Relegation to Latvian First League
7 Rēzekne 28 2 5 21 22 80 −58 11
8 Ranto-Miks (R) 28 2 5 21 25 106 −81 11 Relegation to Latvian First League
Source: [citation needed]
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated

Match table edit

Top scorers edit

Rank Player Club Goals
1   Viktors Dobrecovs (LAT) FHK Liepājas Metalurgs 23
2   Roman Grigorčuk (UKR) Dinaburg FC 21
3   Mihails Miholaps (LAT) Skonto FC 20
4   Marians Pahars (LAT) Skonto FC 19
5   Vladimirs Babičevs (LAT) Skonto FC 11
  Vīts Rimkus (LAT) Skonto FC

Awards edit

Best Name Team
Goalkeeper   Oļegs Karavajevs (LAT) Skonto FC
Defender   Mihails Zemļinskis (LAT) Skonto FC
Midfielder   Vladimirs Babičevs (LAT) Skonto FC
Forward   Marians Pahars (LAT) Skonto FC

Skonto FC 1998 edit

Pos Name Birthdate P      
  Nikolay Apilats 21.09.1974 2 - - -
MF   Vitālijs Astafjevs 03.04.1971 23 7 2 -
MF   Vladimirs Babičevs 22.04.1968 19 10 4 1
DF   Oļegs Blagonadeždins 16.05.1973 2 - - -
MF   Imants Bleidelis 16.08.1975 24 8 2 -
  Mamuka Cereteli 13.01.1979 9 1 2 -
GK   Davit Gvaramadze 08.11.1975 6 –7 - -
MF   Jevgeņijs Ilovaiskis 22.10.1979 2 - - -
GK   Oļegs Karavajevs 13.02.1961 9 –7 - -
MF   Vladimirs Koļesņičenko 04.05.1980 1 - - -
GK   Aleksandrs Koliņko 18.06.1975 5 0 5 -
MF   Juris Laizāns 06.01.1979 26 1 1 1
-   Vsevolods Līdaks 22.10.1977 12 1 - -
-   Valentins Lobaņovs 23.10.1971 22 1 3 -
-   Vladimir Mel'nyk 21.11.1979 18 1 5 -
FW  /  Mihails Miholaps 24.08.1974 25 20 1 -
  Iļja Novikovs 12.08.1977 9 3 - -
FW   Marians Pahars 05.08.1976 26 19 1 1
GK   Andrejs Piedels 17.09.1970 8 –8 - -
-   Aleksandr Pindejev 03.03.1971 15 5 2 -
-   Vitaliy Rozghon 23.03.1980 1 - - -
MF   Alexander Rekhviashvili 06.08.1974 17 1 2 -
FW   Vits Rimkus 21.06.1973 15 11 - -
MF   Andrejs Rubins 26.11.1978 19 1 - -
DF   Levan Silagadze 04.08.1976 15 1 3 -
-   Sergey Solovjov 03.04.1978 9 4 3 -
DF   Igors Stepanovs 21.01.1976 24 - 3 -
DF   Andrėjus Tereškinas 10.07.1970 7 2 2 -
DF   Mihails Zemļinskis 21.12.1969 13 - 1 -
Manager:   Aleksandrs Starkovs

References edit