2003 Latvian Higher League

Latvian football league season for the highest division
Football league season
Latvian Higher League
Season2003
ChampionsSkonto FC
RelegatedGauja
RKB-Arma
UEFA Champions LeagueSkonto FC
UEFA CupFK Liepajas Metalurgs
FK Ventspils
UEFA Intertoto CupDinaburg FC
Top goalscorerLatvia Viktors Dobrecovs (36 goals)
← 2002
2004 →

The 2003 season in the Latvian Higher League, named Virslīga, was the thirteenth 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.

Final table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Skonto (C) 28 23 4 1 91 9 +82 73 Qualification for Champions League first qualifying round
2 Liepājas Metalurgs 28 22 2 4 100 29 +71 68 Qualification for UEFA Cup first qualifying round
3 Ventspils 28 19 4 5 89 18 +71 61
4 Dinaburg 28 13 5 10 43 36 +7 44 Qualification for Intertoto Cup first round
5 Rīga 28 8 5 15 34 63 −29 29
6 Gauja (R) 28 6 5 17 27 70 −43 23 Relegation to Latvian First League[a]
7 Auda/Alberts Rīga 28 4 1 23 21 88 −67 13
8 RKB-Arma (R) 28 2 4 22 23 115 −92 10 Relegation to Latvian First League
Source: [citation needed]
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Gauja were relegated to the lower league due to financial difficulties.

Match table

First half of the season
Home \ Away AUD DIN GAU MET RĪG RKB SKO VEN
Auda/Alberts Rīga 0–1 0–2 1–4 1–1 1–0 0–7 0–7
Dinaburg 1–0 1–0 4–2 1–0 6–0 0–2 0–2
Gauja 3–2 2–3 1–6 1–5 2–0 0–2 1–1
Liepājas Metalurgs 6–0 2–0 4–2 6–2 8–0 2–0 2–1
Rīga 2–1 1–1 0–0 1–3 3–1 0–2 0–2
RKB-Arma 6–1 0–1 1–1 1–7 1–3 0–6 0–7
Skonto 4–0 2–0 3–0 0–0 0–0 5–0 2–1
Ventspils 5–0 0–0 4–0 2–1 4–0 4–0 0–0
Source: [citation needed]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Second half of the season
Home \ Away AUD DIN GAU MET RĪG RKB SKO VEN
Auda/Alberts Rīga 0–3 3–1 0–2 0–1 1–0 1–4 0–4
Dinaburg 3–1 4–0 0–2 4–0 2–2 0–4 2–2
Gauja 1–0 0–0 1–3 2–1 3–0 0–2 0–1
Liepājas Metalurgs 3–0 3–0 9–2 5–0 8–0 0–0 3–2
Rīga 3–2 0–2 3–1 0–1 4–0 2–7 0–6
RKB-Arma 2–5 4–2 1–1 2–6 2–2 0–2 0–7
Skonto 8–0 2–1 6–0 5–1 4–0 8–0 2–1
Ventspils 4–1 3–1 5–0 2–1 3–0 9–0 0–2
Source: [citation needed]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Top scorers

Rank Player Club Goals
1  Viktors Dobrecovs (LAT) FK Liepājas Metalurgs 36
2  Ģirts Karlsons (LAT) FK Liepājas Metalurgs 26
3  Māris Verpakovskis (LAT) Skonto FC 22
4  Vīts Rimkus (LAT) FK Ventspils 20
5  Gatis Kalniņš (LAT) Skonto FC 12

Awards

Best Name Team
Goalkeeper  Andrejs Piedels (LAT) Skonto FC
Defender  Mihails Zemļinskis (LAT) Skonto FC
Midfielder  Valentīns Lobaņovs (LAT) Skonto FC
Forward  Māris Verpakovskis (LAT) Skonto FC

References

  • v
  • t
  • e
2002–03 in European men's football (UEFA)
Domestic leagues
Domestic cups
League cups
UEFA competitions
  • v
  • t
  • e
2003–04 in European men's football (UEFA)
Domestic leagues
Domestic cups
League cups
UEFA competitions