1981 Soviet Top League

{{Short description|44th season of top-tier football league in Soviet Union}}

{{Infobox football league season

| competition = Soviet Top League

| season = 1981

| winners = Dinamo Kiev

| relegated = SKA Rostov-na-Donu, Tavriya Simferopol

| continentalcup1 = European Cup

| continentalcup1 qualifiers = Dinamo Kiev

| continentalcup2 = Cup Winners' Cup

| continentalcup2 qualifiers = SKA Rostov-na-Donu

| continentalcup3 = UEFA Cup

| continentalcup3 qualifiers = Spartak Moscow
Dinamo Moscow
Dinamo Tbilisi

| league topscorer = (23) Ramaz Shengelia (Dinamo Tb.)

| biggest home win =

| biggest away win =

| highest scoring =

| matches = 306

| total goals = 779

| longest wins =

| longest unbeaten =

| longest losses =

| highest attendance =

| lowest attendance =

| average attendance =

| prevseason = 1980

| nextseason = 1982

}}

Statistics of Soviet Top League for the 1981 season.

Overview

It was contested by 18 teams, and Dynamo Kyiv won the championship.

League standings

{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL

|res_col_header=QR

|winpoints=2

|team1=DK |name_DK ={{flagicon|Ukrainian SSR}} Dynamo Kyiv

|team2=SPA|name_SPA={{flagicon|RSFSR}} Spartak Moscow

|team3=DTB|name_DTB={{flagicon|Georgian SSR}} Dinamo Tbilisi

|team4=DYN|name_DYN={{flagicon|RSFSR}} Dynamo Moscow

|team5=TOR|name_TOR={{flagicon|RSFSR}} Torpedo Moscow

|team6=CSK|name_CSK={{flagicon|RSFSR}} CSKA Moscow

|team7=SHK|name_SHK={{flagicon|Ukrainian SSR}} Shakhtar Donetsk

|team8=DNI|name_DNI={{flagicon|Ukrainian SSR}} Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk

|team9=DMI|name_DMI={{flagicon|Belarusian SSR}} Dinamo Minsk

|team10=NEF|name_NEF={{flagicon|Azerbaijan SSR}} Neftchi Baku

|team11=CHE|name_CHE={{flagicon|Ukrainian SSR}} Chornomorets Odessa

|team12=KAI|name_KAI={{flagicon|Kazakh SSR}} Kairat Alma-Ata

|team13=KUB|name_KUB={{flagicon|RSFSR}} Kuban Krasnodar

|team14=ARA|name_ARA={{flagicon|Armenian SSR}} Ararat Yerevan

|team15=ZEN|name_ZEN={{flagicon|RSFSR}} Zenit Leningrad

|team16=SKA|name_SKA={{flagicon|RSFSR}} SKA Rostov-on-Don

|team17=TAV|name_TAV={{flagicon|Ukrainian SSR}} Tavria Simferopol

|team18=PAK|name_PAK={{flagicon|Uzbek SSR}} Pakhtakor Tashkent

|adjust_points_TOR=-4|hth_TOR=4 points deducted (10 draw limit)

|adjust_points_DMI=-3|hth_DMI=3 points deducted (10 draw limit)

|adjust_points_NEF=-2|hth_NEF=2 points deducted (10 draw limit)

|adjust_points_KAI=-2|hth_KAI=NEF

|note_PAK=Pakhtakor Tashkent avoided relegation as it received a three year guarantee of no relegation after the 1979 airplane crash.

|col_CC=green1|text_CC=Qualification for European Cup first round

|result1=CC

|col_UC=blue1|text_UC=Qualification for UEFA Cup first round

|result2=UC|result3=UC|result4=UC

|col_CWC=yellow1|text_CWC=Qualification for Cup Winners' Cup first round

|result5=CWC

|col_R=red1|text_R=Relegation to First League

|result16=R|result17=R

|update=complete|source=

}}

Results

{{#invoke:sports results|main

|matches_style=FBR|solid_cell=grey

|team16=TAV|team17=TOR|team18=ZEN

|name_DYK=Dynamo Kyiv

|match_DYK_SPA=2–0

|match_DYK_DTB=1–0

|match_DYK_DYN=3–0

|match_DYK_TOR=1–0

|match_DYK_CSK=0–0

|match_DYK_SHA=2–1

|match_DYK_DNI=3–1

|match_DYK_DMN=3–3

|match_DYK_NEF=1–1

|match_DYK_CHO=2–1

|match_DYK_KAI=3–0

|match_DYK_KUB=2–1

|match_DYK_ARA=1–0

|match_DYK_ZEN=3–0

|match_DYK_SKA=3–2

|match_DYK_TAV=3–1

|match_DYK_PAK=4–0

|name_SPA=Spartak Moscow

|match_SPA_DYK=1–2

|match_SPA_DTB=3–1

|match_SPA_DYN=1–2

|match_SPA_TOR=3–1

|match_SPA_CSK=3–0

|match_SPA_SHA=1–0

|match_SPA_DNI=3–1

|match_SPA_DMN=1–0

|match_SPA_NEF=4–1

|match_SPA_CHO=2–2

|match_SPA_KAI=3–0

|match_SPA_KUB=4–2

|match_SPA_ARA=3–0

|match_SPA_ZEN=1–1

|match_SPA_SKA=1–1

|match_SPA_TAV=6–1

|match_SPA_PAK=5–1

|name_DTB=Dinamo Tbilisi

|match_DTB_DYK=3–1

|match_DTB_SPA=3–1

|match_DTB_DYN=0–2

|match_DTB_TOR=0–0

|match_DTB_CSK=2–1

|match_DTB_SHA=1–1

|match_DTB_DNI=4–0

|match_DTB_DMN=1–2

|match_DTB_NEF=1–1

|match_DTB_CHO=1–1

|match_DTB_KAI=2–1

|match_DTB_KUB=2–0

|match_DTB_ARA=3–1

|match_DTB_ZEN=3–1

|match_DTB_SKA=3–0

|match_DTB_TAV=5–0

|match_DTB_PAK=3–0

|name_DYN=Dynamo Moscow

|match_DYN_DYK=2–1

|match_DYN_SPA=1–1

|match_DYN_DTB=1–1

|match_DYN_TOR=2–1

|match_DYN_CSK=2–1

|match_DYN_SHA=1–1

|match_DYN_DNI=4–1

|match_DYN_DMN=0–0

|match_DYN_NEF=1–0

|match_DYN_CHO=1–0

|match_DYN_KAI=2–1

|match_DYN_KUB=4–2

|match_DYN_ARA=0–0

|match_DYN_ZEN=0–2

|match_DYN_SKA=2–0

|match_DYN_TAV=1–0

|match_DYN_PAK=1–2

|name_TOR=Torpedo Moscow

|match_TOR_DYK=0–0

|match_TOR_SPA=2–2

|match_TOR_DTB=2–2

|match_TOR_DYN=0–3

|match_TOR_CSK=1–1

|match_TOR_SHA=3–0

|match_TOR_DNI=0–1

|match_TOR_DMN=1–0

|match_TOR_NEF=3–1

|match_TOR_CHO=3–0

|match_TOR_KAI=1–1

|match_TOR_KUB=1–0

|match_TOR_ARA=2–0

|match_TOR_ZEN=1–0

|match_TOR_SKA=2–0

|match_TOR_TAV=1–0

|match_TOR_PAK=1–0

|name_CSK=CSKA Moscow

|match_CSK_DYK=2–0

|match_CSK_SPA=2–0

|match_CSK_DTB=1–0

|match_CSK_DYN=0–2

|match_CSK_TOR=1–2

|match_CSK_SHA=2–1

|match_CSK_DNI=1–1

|match_CSK_DMN=2–1

|match_CSK_NEF=1–1

|match_CSK_CHO=0–2

|match_CSK_KAI=0–0

|match_CSK_KUB=1–0

|match_CSK_ARA=0–0

|match_CSK_ZEN=2–0

|match_CSK_SKA=1–1

|match_CSK_TAV=1–0

|match_CSK_PAK=1–1

|name_SHA=Shakhtar Donetsk

|match_SHA_DYK=0–0

|match_SHA_SPA=1–2

|match_SHA_DTB=4–1

|match_SHA_DYN=0–0

|match_SHA_TOR=1–1

|match_SHA_CSK=2–1

|match_SHA_DNI=5–3

|match_SHA_DMN=0–1

|match_SHA_NEF=5–0

|match_SHA_CHO=2–0

|match_SHA_KAI=1–1

|match_SHA_KUB=2–0

|match_SHA_ARA=1–0

|match_SHA_ZEN=2–3

|match_SHA_SKA=4–0

|match_SHA_TAV=3–0

|match_SHA_PAK=1–1

|name_DNI=Dnipro

|match_DNI_DYK=0–1

|match_DNI_SPA=1–1

|match_DNI_DTB=1–0

|match_DNI_DYN=1–0

|match_DNI_TOR=1–1

|match_DNI_CSK=2–1

|match_DNI_SHA=1–2

|match_DNI_DMN=1–1

|match_DNI_NEF=3–0

|match_DNI_CHO=0–1

|match_DNI_KAI=4–3

|match_DNI_KUB=0–1

|match_DNI_ARA=3–1

|match_DNI_ZEN=2–1

|match_DNI_SKA=0–1

|match_DNI_TAV=2–2

|match_DNI_PAK=2–1

|name_DMN=Dinamo Minsk

|match_DMN_DYK=0–1

|match_DMN_SPA=1–1

|match_DMN_DTB=1–4

|match_DMN_DYN=0–2

|match_DMN_TOR=1–1

|match_DMN_CSK=0–1

|match_DMN_SHA=1–1

|match_DMN_DNI=2–0

|match_DMN_NEF=1–1

|match_DMN_CHO=1–1

|match_DMN_KAI=1–1

|match_DMN_KUB=0–2

|match_DMN_ARA=1–2

|match_DMN_ZEN=2–0

|match_DMN_SKA=3–2

|match_DMN_TAV=2–0

|match_DMN_PAK=3–1

|name_NEF=Neftçi Baku

|match_NEF_DYK=1–1

|match_NEF_SPA=1–1

|match_NEF_DTB=1–0

|match_NEF_DYN=1–0

|match_NEF_TOR=1–2

|match_NEF_CSK=2–1

|match_NEF_SHA=1–1

|match_NEF_DNI=4–2

|match_NEF_DMN=0–0

|match_NEF_CHO=2–1

|match_NEF_KAI=3–1

|match_NEF_KUB=2–1

|match_NEF_ARA=0–0

|match_NEF_ZEN=1–0

|match_NEF_SKA=2–0

|match_NEF_TAV=1–0

|match_NEF_PAK=3–1

|name_CHO=Chornomorets Odessa

|match_CHO_DYK=1–3

|match_CHO_SPA=1–4

|match_CHO_DTB=1–1

|match_CHO_DYN=2–1

|match_CHO_TOR=1–1

|match_CHO_CSK=2–3

|match_CHO_SHA=1–2

|match_CHO_DNI=0–1

|match_CHO_DMN=3–3

|match_CHO_NEF=0–0

|match_CHO_KAI=1–0

|match_CHO_KUB=2–0

|match_CHO_ARA=1–0

|match_CHO_ZEN=0–0

|match_CHO_SKA=0–1

|match_CHO_TAV=2–0

|match_CHO_PAK=1–0

|name_KAI=Kairat Alma-Ata

|match_KAI_DYK=2–2

|match_KAI_SPA=0–2

|match_KAI_DTB=1–3

|match_KAI_DYN=1–0

|match_KAI_TOR=1–2

|match_KAI_CSK=0–2

|match_KAI_SHA=2–0

|match_KAI_DNI=1–1

|match_KAI_DMN=1–0

|match_KAI_NEF=2–0

|match_KAI_CHO=3–0

|match_KAI_KUB=2–0

|match_KAI_ARA=2–1

|match_KAI_ZEN=1–1

|match_KAI_SKA=1–0

|match_KAI_TAV=0–0

|match_KAI_PAK=2–0

|name_KUB=Kuban Krasnodar

|match_KUB_DYK=0–2

|match_KUB_SPA=0–2

|match_KUB_DTB=1–1

|match_KUB_DYN=1–1

|match_KUB_TOR=0–0

|match_KUB_CSK=2–1

|match_KUB_SHA=2–1

|match_KUB_DNI=2–2

|match_KUB_DMN=0–4

|match_KUB_NEF=0–0

|match_KUB_CHO=2–0

|match_KUB_KAI=2–1

|match_KUB_ARA=5–1

|match_KUB_ZEN=2–2

|match_KUB_SKA=4–0

|match_KUB_TAV=2–1

|match_KUB_PAK=3–0

|name_ARA=Ararat Yerevan

|match_ARA_DYK=1–1

|match_ARA_SPA=1–2

|match_ARA_DTB=1–4

|match_ARA_DYN=1–1

|match_ARA_TOR=3–2

|match_ARA_CSK=1–0

|match_ARA_SHA=0–0

|match_ARA_DNI=3–0

|match_ARA_DMN=0–2

|match_ARA_NEF=6–1

|match_ARA_CHO=2–3

|match_ARA_KAI=1–1

|match_ARA_KUB=4–2

|match_ARA_ZEN=2–1

|match_ARA_SKA=4–0

|match_ARA_TAV=2–1

|match_ARA_PAK=3–1

|name_ZEN=Zenit Leningrad

|match_ZEN_DYK=1–3

|match_ZEN_SPA=2–0

|match_ZEN_DTB=2–2

|match_ZEN_DYN=0–0

|match_ZEN_TOR=0–1

|match_ZEN_CSK=1–3

|match_ZEN_SHA=2–1

|match_ZEN_DNI=1–0

|match_ZEN_DMN=1–1

|match_ZEN_NEF=2–0

|match_ZEN_CHO=1–2

|match_ZEN_KAI=1–1

|match_ZEN_KUB=0–0

|match_ZEN_ARA=1–1

|match_ZEN_SKA=1–0

|match_ZEN_TAV=0–2

|match_ZEN_PAK=1–2

|name_SKA=SKA Rostov-on-Don

|match_SKA_DYK=0–1

|match_SKA_SPA=3–4

|match_SKA_DTB=1–1

|match_SKA_DYN=2–1

|match_SKA_TOR=0–0

|match_SKA_CSK=1–4

|match_SKA_SHA=2–1

|match_SKA_DNI=1–1

|match_SKA_DMN=2–3

|match_SKA_NEF=1–1

|match_SKA_CHO=0–0

|match_SKA_KAI=2–2

|match_SKA_KUB=6–1

|match_SKA_ARA=0–0

|match_SKA_ZEN=1–3

|match_SKA_TAV=3–0

|match_SKA_PAK=3–2

|name_TAV=Tavriya Simferopol

|match_TAV_DYK=0–0

|match_TAV_SPA=0–2

|match_TAV_DTB=0–3

|match_TAV_DYN=1–0

|match_TAV_TOR=1–1

|match_TAV_CSK=0–1

|match_TAV_SHA=0–3

|match_TAV_DNI=0–1

|match_TAV_DMN=2–2

|match_TAV_NEF=3–0

|match_TAV_CHO=1–0

|match_TAV_KAI=3–3

|match_TAV_KUB=3–1

|match_TAV_ARA=2–1

|match_TAV_ZEN=1–0

|match_TAV_SKA=1–1

|match_TAV_PAK=1–0

|name_PAK=Pakhtakor Tashkent

|match_PAK_DYK=1–2

|match_PAK_SPA=3–0

|match_PAK_DTB=0–1

|match_PAK_DYN=1–1

|match_PAK_TOR=1–1

|match_PAK_CSK=0–0

|match_PAK_SHA=3–1

|match_PAK_DNI=1–2

|match_PAK_DMN=0–1

|match_PAK_NEF=3–0

|match_PAK_CHO=1–3

|match_PAK_KAI=2–3

|match_PAK_KUB=0–1

|match_PAK_ARA=3–1

|match_PAK_ZEN=0–1

|match_PAK_SKA=1–2

|match_PAK_TAV=1–0

|update=complete|source=

}}

Top scorers

;23 goals

Ramaz Shengelia (Dinamo Tbilisi)

;21 goals

Yuri Gavrilov (Spartak Moscow)

;19 goals

Oleg Blokhin (Dynamo Kyiv)

;16 goals

Vladimir Kazachyonok (Zenit)

;15 goals

Valery Gazzaev (Dynamo Moscow)

;14 goals

Khoren Hovhannisyan (Ararat)
Pyotr Vasilevsky (Dinamo Minsk)

;13 goals

Andrei Yakubik (Pakhtakor)

;12 goals

Viktor Grachyov (Shakhtar)
Aleksandr Pogorelov (Dnipro)

Medal squads

(league appearances and goals listed in brackets)

class="wikitable" Width="700"

bgcolor="#19217F"

| align="center" width="700" | 1. FC Dynamo Kyiv

bgcolor="#E8E8E8"

| align="left" width="700" |

Goalkeepers: Mykhaylo Mykhaylov (25), Yuriy Romenskyi (9).

Defenders: Volodymyr Lozynskyi (34 / 2), Anatoliy Konkov (31), Sergei Baltacha (29), Anatoliy Demyanenko (29 / 2), Oleksandr Boyko (22), Oleksandr Sorokalet (10 / 1), Serhiy Zhuravlyov (5), Viktor Kaplun (5), Yuriy Makhynya (3).

Midfielders: Andriy Bal (30 / 3), Leonid Buryak (29 / 9), Volodymyr Bezsonov (25 / 2), Volodymyr Veremeyev (24 / 4), Yaroslav Dumanskyi (12), Viktor Kolotov (4), Vasyl Rats (2).

Forwards: Vadym Yevtushenko (31 / 8), Oleg Blokhin (29 / 19), Viktor Khlus (28 / 8), Aleksandr Khapsalis (21), Stepan Yurchyshyn (1).

Manager: Valeriy Lobanovskyi.

Transferred out during the season: .

bgcolor="#FF0000"

| align="center" width="700" | 2. FC Spartak Moscow

bgcolor="#E8E8E8"

| align="left" width="700" |

Goalkeepers: Rinat Dasayev (34), Aleksei Prudnikov (1).

Defenders: Vladimir Sochnov (32 / 1), Viktor Samokhin (27 / 1), Oleg Romantsev (25), Alexander Mirzoyan (22), Gennady Morozov (14), Gocha Machaidze (1).

Midfielders: Sergey Shavlo (34 / 8), Fyodor Cherenkov (32 / 4), Sergei Shvetsov (25 / 5), Yevgeni Sidorov (21), Boris Pozdnyakov (14), Manuchar Machaidze (2).

Forwards: Yuri Gavrilov (33 / 21), Edgar Gess (33 / 11), Aleksandr Kalashnikov (32 / 9), Sergey Rodionov (29 / 9), Vladimir Safronenko (12 / 1), Sergei Krestenenko (9), Sergei Argudyayev (2).

Manager: Konstantin Beskov.

Transferred out during the season: .

bgcolor="#132b51"

| align="center" width="700" | 3. FC Dinamo Tbilisi

bgcolor="#E8E8E8"

| align="left" width="700" |

Goalkeepers: Otar Gabelia (31), Karlo Mchedlidze (5).

Defenders: Nodar Khizanishvili (30), Tengiz Sulakvelidze (29 / 4), Giorgi Tavadze (28 / 1), Aleksandre Chivadze (28 / 2), Shota Khinchagashvili (19), Tamaz Kostava (15), David Mudzhiri (13), Amiran Andguladze (9), Levan Melikia (7), Giorgi Chilaia (4).

Midfielders: Vitaly Daraselia (33 / 2), Zaur Svanadze (33 / 2), Nugzar Kakilashvili (25 / 5), Gocha Dzhohadze (7 / 1), Amiran Minashvili (1).

Forwards: Vladimir Gutsaev (33 / 3), Ramaz Shengelia (31 / 23), Vazha Zhvania (19 / 4), David Kipiani (18 / 8), Revaz Chelebadze (6 / 3), Grigol Tsaava (5).

Manager: Nodar Akhalkatsi.

Transferred out during the season: .

References

[https://web.archive.org/web/20090602084017/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesu/ussrhist.html Soviet Union - List of final tables (RSSSF)]
[http://www.football.lg.ua/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5990:1981vleaguetable&catid=210:sovietua81&Itemid=775 1981. Higher League. (1981. Высшая лига.)] Luhansk Our Futbol portal.
[http://wildstat.ru/p/2001/ch/URS_1_1981/stg/all/tour/all 44th USSR Championship, 1981 Higher League (44-й чемпионат СССР, 1981г. Высшая лига)]. Wildstat website.

Category:Soviet Top League seasons

Soviet