2021 Latvian Higher League Explained

Competition:Latvian Higher League
Season:2021
Winners:RFS
Continentalcup1:Champions League
Continentalcup1 Qualifiers:RFS
Continentalcup2:Conference League
Continentalcup2 Qualifiers:Valmiera, Liepāja, Riga
Matches:109
Total Goals:335
League Topscorer:Stefan Milošević
Biggest Home Win:


Biggest Away Win:
Highest Scoring:






Longest Wins:10 matches
RFS
Longest Unbeaten:14 matches
RFS
Longest Winless:8 matches
Metta/LU
Noah Jurmala
Longest Losses:7 matches
Noah Jurmala
Prevseason:2020
Nextseason:2022
Updated:6 November 2021

The 2021 Latvian Higher League, known as the Optibet Virslīga for sponsorship reasons, is the 30th season of top-tier football in Latvia. The season began on 13 March 2021 and ended 6 November 2021.[1] RFS are the league champions and earned a place in the 2022–23 UEFA Champions League while the second, third and fourth-placed clubs earned a place in the 2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League.[2]

Riga were the defending champions after winning the league for a third consecutive season.[3]

Teams

The league consists of 8 clubs from the previous season, joined by Noah Jurmala as champions of the 2020 Latvian First League. Tukums (relegated after one year in the top flight) were relegated after finishing last in the previous season and declined to apply for a license.[4] Meanwhile, Jelgava did not receive a licence and will not take part in this year's tournament.[5]

On 19 June 2021, Ventspils withdrew from the remainder of the season and was dissloved later on.[6]

On 23 July 2021, Noah Jurmala withdrew from the league,[7] remaining matches were 3–0 forfeits.

League table

Fixtures and results

Rounds 19–36

Statistics

Top goalscorers

[8]

RankPlayerClubGoals
1 Stefan MiloševićRiga13
2 Ibrahima SowValmiera10
3 Yunusa MuritalaMetta/LU
Riga
9
Leonel WambaSpartaks Jūrmala
5 Raimonds KrollisValmiera8
6 Mikael SoisaloRiga7
7 Richard FridaySpartaks Jūrmala6
Lūkass VapneMetta/LU
9 Marks KurtišsVentspils5
Darko LemajićRFS
DodôLiepāja
Djibril GuèyeValmiera
Žiga LipuščekRFS
Raivis ĶiršsDaugavpils
Tomislav ŠarićRFS

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Virsliga . soccerway . 19 March 2021.
  2. Web site: UEL2 Access List 2021–24 . UEFA . 19 March 2021.
  3. Web site: Virsliga . soccerway.com . 19 March 2021.
  4. Web site: Virslīgas licences iegūšanas procesu sāk 11 futbola klubi, «Noah Jūrmala» jārisina parādu lietas.
  5. Web site: Pēdējā brīdī izjucis darījums liedz FK «Jelgava» turpināt dalību futbola virslīgā.
  6. Web site: FK "Ventspils" atsauc dalību no Virslīgas čempionāta . optibetvirsliga.com . 20 June 2021 . 24 June 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210624203458/https://optibetvirsliga.com/news/fk-ventspils-atsauc-dalibu-no-virsligas-cempionata-26ff8ff6 . dead .
  7. Web site: Noah Jurmala aptur dalību Virslīgas čempionātā . optibetvirsliga.com . 25 July 2021 . 25 July 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210725193544/https://optibetvirsliga.com/news/noah-jurmala-aptur-dalibu-virsligas-cempionata . dead .
  8. https://www.flashscore.com/football/latvia/optibet-virsliga/ Flashscore