# 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.

## Final table

| 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 | Qualification for UEFA Cup qualifying round |
| 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 |

## Top scorers

| 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 |
| 5 | Vīts Rimkus (LAT) | Skonto FC | 11 |

## Awards

| 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

| 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 |||||||