Ukrainian First League
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Persha Liha |
|---|
 Persha Liha 2008-09 |
 |
| Founded |
| 1991 |
| Nation |
 Ukraine |
| Promotion To |
| Ukrainian Premier League |
| Relegation To |
| Ukrainian Second League |
| Number of Teams |
| 17 |
| Cups |
| Ukrainian Cup |
| Current Champions (2008-09) |
| Zakarpattia Uzhhorod |
| Most successful club(s) |
| FC Dynamo-2 Kyiv (3 times) |
| Website |
| Official |
The Persha Liha (Ukrainian: Перша Ліга) or Ukrainian First League is a football league in Ukraine.
Contents |
[edit] History
The league is lower than the Vyscha Liha (now known as the Ukrainian Premier League). The League is the top league of the Professional Football League (PFL). The top two teams from the Persha Liha are promoted to the Ukrainian Premier League, while the two lowest teams from the Ukrainian Premier League are demoted to the Persha Liha. The clubs' second teams, of course, don't participate at the top level and the Persha Liha is the highest level of the national competition they allowed to play at. The Persha Liha is the second level of the football league in Ukraine.
On November 22, 2005, the Ukrainian Football Federation in conjunction with the Professional Football League announced an expansion of the lower leagues. It was planned to increase the total number of teams in the league to twenty. Therefore, instead of sending three teams down to the Druha Liha only two teams were sent down. Also, instead of bringing up the top teams from each Druha Liha, the top three teams and the best second place team were promoted instead. Thereafter, the subsequent seasons last four teams out of 20 will be relegated. They will be replaced by winners and second runner-ups of the each group out of the Second League. For 2008-09 the League once again was reduced to 18 members.
The most successful club in the league is the second team of Dynamo Kyiv. Out of non-second teams the most successful are Zakarpattya Uzhhorod (two 1st place and two 2nds) and Zirka Kirovohrad (two 1st places), which plays in the Ukrainian Second League currently. Pointswise over the whole history the other two teams that follow Dynamo-2 Kyiv are Naftovyk Okhtyrka and Stal Alchevsk. The second team of the militiamen is the only team that participate every single season in Persha Liha. Naftovyk Okhtyrka and Stal Alchevsk missed two and three seasons respectfully.
[edit] Ukrainian First League 2009-10 Teams
In 2009-10 season, the Ukrainian First League consists of the following teams:
[edit] Top 3 Finishers
Promoted teams are in bold.
The accumulated table of the Ukrainian First League.
Note: In 1992 there were two groups out of which each winner gained the promotion. In the consolidated standing Metalurh Nikopol happened to place higher than Veres Rivne as it was set in another, but the same group with Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih.
[edit] Performance by club
| Club | Winner | Runners-Up | 3rd Position | Seasons Won |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dynamo-2 Kyiv | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1998-99, 1999-00, 2000-01 |
| Zakarpattia Uzhhorod | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2003-04, 2008-09 |
| Zirka Kirovohrad | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1994-95, 2002-03 |
| Stal Alchevsk | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2004-05 |
| Illichivets Mariupol | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2007-08 |
| Mykolaiv | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1997-98 |
| Naftovyk-Ukrnafta Okhtyrka | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2006-07 |
| Obolon Kyiv | 0 | 1 | 4 | |
| Zorya Luhansk | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2005-06 |
| Chornomorets Odessa | 0 | 2 | 0 |
