Latvian Higher League 1942
Encyclopedia
In 1942 under German
occupation
most pre-war Latvia
n football
clubs were restored (with the exception of ethnic minorities' sides like RKSB Riga, Hakoah Riga etc.). The championship was divided in two phases - the preliminary phase to determine the four strongest sides in Riga
and two in the province, and the main phase where these six teams would settle among them positions in the Latvian Higher League.
The four clubs to finish at the top of the Riga tournament were (from first to fourth) Daugavieši, RSK Riga
(later in the year renamed back to ASK Riga), LDzB Riga and RFK
. From the province an automatic qualification was granted to Olimpija Liepāja
, whilst Jelgavas Sporta biedrība took the second spot.
Three sides were considered main contenders for the league title - Daugavieši, ASK and Olimpija, whilst RFK had an outside chance for it. After the first two match days results corresponded to the pre-season predictions: Daugavieši and ASK were on top of the table with 3 points, thus showing their ambitions to win the league. However in the following three match days their results went in opposite directions - ASK got 3 victories, meanwhile Daugavieši suffered three defeats. The collapse of the Riga qualification tournament winners was mainly connected with loss of several key players during the season and before it. Alfons Jēgers
, one of the most talented Latvian forwards of the 1940s, was arrested by the German officials and sent to a concentration camp, another key forward Ludvigs Putniņš decided to return to his previous club - ASK, several players suffered injuries and a result of it all Daugavieši finished last in the league and had to participate in a play-off match against Rīgas Vilki
for the right to play in the higher league in the following season. By losing that game also, Daugavieši faced relegation.
Meanwhile in the title race there was no competition for ASK Riga
which won four out of five league games.
(Daugavieši)
5 goals Arnolds Puriņš (ASK
)
4 goals Riekstiņš (ASK
) Aleksandrs Vanags
(ASK
) Roberts Heiblihs
(Olimpija Liepāja
)
3 goals Ansons (Jelgavas Sporta biedrība) Vaclavs Borduško
(ASK
) Ēriks Koņeckis (ASK
)
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
occupation
Military occupation
Military occupation occurs when the control and authority over a territory passes to a hostile army. The territory then becomes occupied territory.-Military occupation and the laws of war:...
most pre-war Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
n football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
clubs were restored (with the exception of ethnic minorities' sides like RKSB Riga, Hakoah Riga etc.). The championship was divided in two phases - the preliminary phase to determine the four strongest sides in Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
and two in the province, and the main phase where these six teams would settle among them positions in the Latvian Higher League.
The four clubs to finish at the top of the Riga tournament were (from first to fourth) Daugavieši, RSK Riga
FK ASK
FK ASK Riga was a Latvian football club of the Latvian army, founded in 1923. In the 1920s and 1930s it was one of the leading clubs in Latvia. In 1940s it was disbanded, a new football club of the Soviet army was created in Riga under the name FK AVN, later AVN was renamed to ASK...
(later in the year renamed back to ASK Riga), LDzB Riga and RFK
Rigas FK
Riga FK was a Latvian football club which was founded December 14, 1923. It was the strongest and most popular Latvian football club in 1920s and 1930s, it was also the base team for Latvia national football team in its early years...
. From the province an automatic qualification was granted to Olimpija Liepāja
Olimpija Liepaja
Olimpija Liepāja was Latvian football club that in the 1920-1930s was one of the strongest in Latvia and with which played many Latvia national football team footballers. It was from the city of Liepāja.-History:...
, whilst Jelgavas Sporta biedrība took the second spot.
Three sides were considered main contenders for the league title - Daugavieši, ASK and Olimpija, whilst RFK had an outside chance for it. After the first two match days results corresponded to the pre-season predictions: Daugavieši and ASK were on top of the table with 3 points, thus showing their ambitions to win the league. However in the following three match days their results went in opposite directions - ASK got 3 victories, meanwhile Daugavieši suffered three defeats. The collapse of the Riga qualification tournament winners was mainly connected with loss of several key players during the season and before it. Alfons Jēgers
Alfons Jegers
Alfons Jēgers was a Latvian football and hockey player. He is recognized as one of the greatest in the history of both of these sports in Latvia.-Biography:...
, one of the most talented Latvian forwards of the 1940s, was arrested by the German officials and sent to a concentration camp, another key forward Ludvigs Putniņš decided to return to his previous club - ASK, several players suffered injuries and a result of it all Daugavieši finished last in the league and had to participate in a play-off match against Rīgas Vilki
Riga Vanderer
Riga Vanderer was a Latvian football club that was founded in 1927, disbanded in 1940, restored a year later and disbanded again in 1944.-Founding:...
for the right to play in the higher league in the following season. By losing that game also, Daugavieši faced relegation.
Meanwhile in the title race there was no competition for ASK Riga
FK ASK
FK ASK Riga was a Latvian football club of the Latvian army, founded in 1923. In the 1920s and 1930s it was one of the leading clubs in Latvia. In 1940s it was disbanded, a new football club of the Soviet army was created in Riga under the name FK AVN, later AVN was renamed to ASK...
which won four out of five league games.
Final classification
| Team | Pts | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | +/- | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | ASK Riga FK ASK FK ASK Riga was a Latvian football club of the Latvian army, founded in 1923. In the 1920s and 1930s it was one of the leading clubs in Latvia. In 1940s it was disbanded, a new football club of the Soviet army was created in Riga under the name FK AVN, later AVN was renamed to ASK... (C) |
9 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 7 | +14 |
| 2. | Olimpija Liepāja Olimpija Liepaja Olimpija Liepāja was Latvian football club that in the 1920-1930s was one of the strongest in Latvia and with which played many Latvia national football team footballers. It was from the city of Liepāja.-History:... |
6 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 7 | +5 |
| 3. | RFK Rigas FK Riga FK was a Latvian football club which was founded December 14, 1923. It was the strongest and most popular Latvian football club in 1920s and 1930s, it was also the base team for Latvia national football team in its early years... |
4 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | -2 |
| 4. | Jelgavas SB | 4 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 15 | -6 |
| 5. | LDzB Riga | 4 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 19 | -10 |
| 6. | Daugavieši | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 8 | -1 |
Top goalscorers
6 goals Eduards FreimanisEduards Freimanis
Eduards Freimanis was a former Latvian football forward, the first Latvian footballer to play with a professional club in England.-Playing career:...
(Daugavieši)
5 goals Arnolds Puriņš (ASK
FK ASK
FK ASK Riga was a Latvian football club of the Latvian army, founded in 1923. In the 1920s and 1930s it was one of the leading clubs in Latvia. In 1940s it was disbanded, a new football club of the Soviet army was created in Riga under the name FK AVN, later AVN was renamed to ASK...
)
4 goals Riekstiņš (ASK
FK ASK
FK ASK Riga was a Latvian football club of the Latvian army, founded in 1923. In the 1920s and 1930s it was one of the leading clubs in Latvia. In 1940s it was disbanded, a new football club of the Soviet army was created in Riga under the name FK AVN, later AVN was renamed to ASK...
) Aleksandrs Vanags
Aleksandrs Vanags
Aleksandrs Vanags , aka Alexandre Vanags, was a Latvian football and basketball player. At a young age he debuted in the Latvia national football team, after World War II he played football in France.-Biography:...
(ASK
FK ASK
FK ASK Riga was a Latvian football club of the Latvian army, founded in 1923. In the 1920s and 1930s it was one of the leading clubs in Latvia. In 1940s it was disbanded, a new football club of the Soviet army was created in Riga under the name FK AVN, later AVN was renamed to ASK...
) Roberts Heiblihs
Roberts Heiblihs
Roberts Heiblihs was a Latvian footballer, one of the most notable footballers in Liepāja of the 1940s.-Biography:Heiblihs was born in Liepāja in 1918. In 1936 he joined Olimpija Liepāja, the city's top football club which had lost six of its main players...
(Olimpija Liepāja
Olimpija Liepaja
Olimpija Liepāja was Latvian football club that in the 1920-1930s was one of the strongest in Latvia and with which played many Latvia national football team footballers. It was from the city of Liepāja.-History:...
)
3 goals Ansons (Jelgavas Sporta biedrība) Vaclavs Borduško
Vaclavs Borduško
Vaclavs Borduško was a Latvian international footballer, a two-time champion of Latvia.-Biography:...
(ASK
FK ASK
FK ASK Riga was a Latvian football club of the Latvian army, founded in 1923. In the 1920s and 1930s it was one of the leading clubs in Latvia. In 1940s it was disbanded, a new football club of the Soviet army was created in Riga under the name FK AVN, later AVN was renamed to ASK...
) Ēriks Koņeckis (ASK
FK ASK
FK ASK Riga was a Latvian football club of the Latvian army, founded in 1923. In the 1920s and 1930s it was one of the leading clubs in Latvia. In 1940s it was disbanded, a new football club of the Soviet army was created in Riga under the name FK AVN, later AVN was renamed to ASK...
)