1939–40 Latvian Higher League
The 1939–40
Virsliga. It was also the last season of football in independent Latvia before its annexation by the Soviet Union
(the last matches of the season were played with Latvia already being part of the USSR).
Competition modus
Every team played two games against each other team, one at home and one away. Teams received two points for a win and one point for a draw.
Team changes to 1938-39
Virsliga season against US and Hakoah Riga. They were replaced by the winner of the promotion battles VEF Riga who beat out Venstpils Spars
in the decisive match for a Virsliga berth.
Season overview
The battle for the title was mostly between the defending champions
RFK. Until midseason Hakoah Riga also kept up in the race but it fell back later in the season. Olimpija squad suffered a serious loss when five of its footballers were disqualified because of problems with discipline by the club for a longer period. Those included leading players like Roberts Heiblihs, Pēteris Jurčenko and Fricis Laumanis. Eventually the disqualification of Laumanis was shortened but both Jurčenko and Heiblihs missed out nearly the entire season. In their absence the young forward from Kuldīga
Bērziņš became the club's leading goalscorer.
Final classification
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Rīgas FK (C)
|
14 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 40 | 11 | +29 | 23 |
2 | Olimpija Liepāja
|
14 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 42 | 21 | +21 | 21 |
3 | ASK | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 40 | 26 | +14 | 16 |
4 | Hakoah Riga | 14 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 21 | 25 | −4 | 15 |
5 | Rīgas Vilki
|
14 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 29 | 26 | +3 | 12 |
6 | VEF | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 26 | 39 | −13 | 10 |
7 | US | 14 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 20 | 38 | −18 | 8 |
8 | RKSB | 14 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 17 | 49 | −32 | 7 |
Top goalscorers
- 15 goals
- RFK)
- Aleksandrs Vanags (ASK)
- 13 goals
- 12 goals
- Olimpija Liepāja)
- 10 goals
- Edgars Klāvs (US)
- RFK)
- 9 goals
- 8 goals
- Jānis Rozītis (VEF)
- Olimpija Liepāja)
- 7 goals
- Olimpija Liepāja)
Champion squad
1. | RFK |
Goalkeepers: Herberts Briedis (12); Voldemārs Liepiņš (2). |
References and sources
- Latvijas futbola vēsture by Miķelis Rubenis, Rīga, 2001