FK Riga
FK Riga was a Latvian football club from the capital Riga , which was represented for a decade, from 1999 to 2009, in the Virsliga , the country's top division. The first team played their home games at the Latvijas Universitātes Stadium , which had a capacity of 5,000. After the 2008 season, FK Riga merged with Olimps Riga to form RFS / Olimps Riga .
history
FK Riga was established in 1999 when the Latvian sports club SK Riga was founded . This also supports, among other things, first division teams in ice hockey ( HK Riga 2000 ) and women's basketball ( TTT Rīga ) in their youth work.
FK Riga started directly in the Virsliga and finished its first season in 1999 with 6th place (out of a total of 8 clubs). In the same year, FK Riga reached the cup final against city rivals Skonto Riga , who dominated the league at the time , which they won after a 1-1 draw after extra time on penalties. This opening success was the only title win in the club's short history. The team then played for qualification for the UEFA Cup , but failed in the first round at Helsingborgs IF (Sweden).
In the following years, the FK Riga always occupied places in the lower midfield and was sometimes even in danger of relegation, but could save themselves every time. In 2006 the club was penultimate at the end of the season and had to compete in the relegation against FK Valmiera . With two clear victories, however, they could prevent relegation.
One year later, Riga was the surprise team of the season and finished in 3rd place, which entitles the FK to participate in the UI Cup 2008 . Internationally, FK Riga was able to prevail against Fylkir Reykjavík (Iceland) and Bohemians Dublin (Ireland) the following year , but then lost to IF Elfsborg from Sweden in the third round .
At the same time, the club got into financial difficulties at the beginning of the 2008 season due to urban austerity measures, which in turn are a consequence of the global financial crisis . Towards the end of the season, the team boycotted the league game at Liepājas Metalurgs in protest against the club's management, which had not paid the players for three months. After the game was rated 0: 3 and FK Riga finished the season in 6th place in the table (with 10 instead of 8 clubs), they had to file for bankruptcy in November 2008 and subsequently merged with league rivals JFK Olimps Riga , which then renamed itself RFS / Olimps Riga .
Placements in the Virsliga
- 2008 - 6.
- 2007 - 3rd *
- 2006 - 7.
- 2005 - 5th
- 2004 - 6.
- 2003 - 5th
- 2002 - 7.
- 2001 - 7.
- 2000 - 5th
- 1999 - 6th + cup winner **
(* Eligibility to participate in the UI Cup )
(** Eligibility to participate in the UEFA Cup qualification )