2018 Esiliiga

The 2018 Esiliiga was the 28th season of the Esiliiga, the second-highest Estonian league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1992. The season began on 1 March 2018 and concluded on 11 November 2018. Defending champions Maardu Linnameeskond won their second Esiliiga title.

Esiliiga
Season2018
ChampionsMaardu Linnameeskond
(2nd title)
PromotedMaardu Linnameeskond
RelegatedKeila
Nõmme Kalju U21
Matches played180
Goals scored624 (3.47 per match)
Top goalscorerVitali Gussev (43 goals)
Biggest home winFlora U21 11–0 Welco
(30 August 2018)
Biggest away winKeila 0–9 Flora U21
(10 March 2018)
Highest scoringFlora U21 10–1 Keila
(24 March 2018)
Maardu Linnameeskond 10–1 Nõmme Kalju U21
(14 July 2018)
Flora U21 11–0 Welco
(30 August 2018)
Longest winning run7 matches
Maardu Linnameeskond
Longest unbeaten run11 matches
Flora U21
Longest winless run16 matches
Nõmme Kalju U21
Longest losing run11 matches
Nõmme Kalju U21
← 2017
2019 →

Teams

Ten teams competed in the league – the seven teams from the previous season and the three teams promoted from the Esiliiga B. The promoted teams were Nõmme Kalju U21 (returning to the Esiliiga after a one-year absence), Tallinna Kalev U21 and Keila (both teams playing in the Esiliiga for the first time ever). They replaced Tallinna Kalev, Kuressaare (both teams promoted to the Meistriliiga) and FCI Tallinn U21 (merged with Levadia U21).[1]

Stadiums and locations
Locations of the 2018 Esiliiga teams
Team Location Stadium Capacity
Elva Elva Elva linnastaadion 600[2]
FCI Levadia U21 Tallinn Maarjamäe Stadium 30[3]
Flora U21 Tallinn Sportland Arena 540[4]
Keila Keila Keila Stadium 500[5]
Maardu Linnameeskond Maardu Maardu linnastaadion 500[6]
Nõmme Kalju U21 Tallinn Hiiu Stadium 650[7]
Santos Tartu Tartu Tamme Stadium 1,500[8]
Tallinna Kalev U21 Tallinn Kalev Keskstaadion's artificial turf 570[9]
Tarvas Rakvere Rakvere linnastaadion 1,829[10]
Welco Tartu Tartu Tamme Stadium 1,500[8]

Personnel and kits
Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
Elva Veiko Haan Jürgen Kuresoo Nike Sportland
FCI Levadia U21 Vladimir Vassiljev Moorits Veering Adidas Viimsi Keevitus
Flora U21 Ats Sillaste Markkus Seppik Nike Tele2[11]
Keila Richard Barnwell Kermo Kiiler Adidas Hole In One
Maardu Linnameeskond Andrei Borissov Ilja Zelentsov Adidas
Nõmme Kalju U21 Kristen Viikmäe Marcus Suurväli Adidas help.ee
Santos Janar Sagim Joonas Kartsep Adidas
Tallinna Kalev U21 Daniel Meijel Andi Kivirand Nike Coolbet
Tarvas Tarmo Rebane Kaarel Saar Nike Aqva Hotel & Spa
Welco Yusuf Erdoğan Mikk Valtna Nike Liisi

Managerial changes
Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Welco Siim Valtna Mutual consent 7 November 2017[12] Pre-season Yusuf Erdoğan 8 December 2017[13]
Flora U21 Joel Indermitte 10 November 2017[14] Ats Sillaste 10 November 2017
Tarvas Urmas Kirs 30 November 2017[15] Tarmo Rebane 30 November 2017
Nõmme Kalju U21 Erko Saviauk 31 December 2017 Valeri Bondarenko 1 January 2018
Keila Tiit Tikenberg 6 January 2018[16] Richard Barnwell 6 January 2018
Nõmme Kalju U21 Valeri Bondarenko 7 August 2018[17] 10th Frank Bernhardt 7 August 2018
Nõmme Kalju U21 Frank Bernhardt Resigned September 2018[18] 10th Kristen Viikmäe September 2018

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Maardu Linnameeskond (C, P) 36 29 1 6 126 41 +85 88 Promotion to the Meistriliiga
2 Flora U21[lower-alpha 1] 36 21 8 7 115 31 +84 71
3 FCI Levadia U21[lower-alpha 1] 36 18 7 11 67 56 +11 61
4 Elva (Q) 36 15 10 11 51 66 −15 55 Qualification for promotion play-offs
5 Tarvas 36 14 10 12 62 60 +2 52
6 Welco 36 12 6 18 44 78 −34 42
7 Santos[lower-alpha 2] (R) 36 11 8 17 47 68 −21 41 Relegation to II liiga
8 Tallinna Kalev U21[lower-alpha 1] 36 10 9 17 37 52 −15 39
9 Keila (R) 36 10 5 21 41 88 −47 35 Qualification for relegation play-offs
10 Nõmme Kalju U21[lower-alpha 1] (R) 36 5 6 25 37 89 −52 21 Relegation to Esiliiga B
Source: Soccerway (in English), Esiliiga (in Estonian)
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Less matches awarded against; 3) Head-to-head points; 4) Head-to-head goal difference; 5) Matches won; 6) Goal difference; 7) Goals scored; 8) Away goals scored; 9) Fairplay ranking.[20]
(C) Champion; (P) Promoted; (Q) Qualified to the phase indicated; (R) Relegated.
Notes:
  1. Reserve teams are ineligible for promotion.
  2. Santos withdrew from the Esiliiga and were relegated to the II liiga.[19]

Play-offs

First leg
Elva0–1Kuressaare
Report Laht  50' (p)
Elva linnastaadion, Elva
Attendance: 235
Referee: Siim Rinken

Second leg
Kuressaare1–0Elva
Saar  61' Report
Kuressaare artificial turf, Kuressaare
Attendance: 152
Referee: Kristo Tohver
Kuressaare won 2–0 on aggregate and retained their place in the 2019 Meistriliiga.

First leg
Järve3–1Keila
Saar  56'
Ivanyushin  83' (p)
Yuri  85'		 Report Tikenberg  89' (p)
Attendance: 83
Referee: Toomas Nõmmiste

Second leg
Keila1–0Järve
Tikenberg  59' Report
Keila Stadium's artificial turf, Keila
Attendance: 110
Referee: Martti Pukk

Järve won 3–2 on aggregate and were promoted to the 2019 Esiliiga.

Results

Season statistics

Top scorers
Rank Player Club Goals[21]
1 Vitali GussevMaardu Linnameeskond43
2 Ilja ZelentsovMaardu Linnameeskond22
3 Erik UtgofFCI Levadia U2120
4 Nikita BrõlinMaardu Linnameeskond19
5 Aleksandr ŠapovalovFlora U2116
Erik SorgaFlora U21
7 Jürgen KuresooElva13
Otto-Robert LippFlora U21
9 Vladislav OgorodnikMaardu Linnameeskond12
Karl Rudolf ÕigusSantos
Siim RannamäeTarvas
Vlasiy SinyavskiyNõmme Kalju U21
Mikk ValtnaWelco

Awards

Monthly awards
Month Manager of the Month Player of the Month
ManagerClub PlayerClub
March[22] Andrei BorissovMaardu Linnameeskond Erik SorgaFlora U21
April[23] Tarmo RebaneTarvas Mikk ValtnaWelco
May[24] Veiko HaanElva Aleksandr ŠapovalovFlora U21
June/July[25] Andrei BorissovMaardu Linnameeskond Jürgen KuresooElva
August[26] Vladimir VassiljevFCI Levadia U21 Vladislav OgorodnikMaardu Linnameeskond
September[27] Veiko HaanElva Nikita BrõlinMaardu Linnameeskond
October[28] Veiko HaanElva Mattias MännilaanFlora U21

Esiliiga Player of the Year

Vitali Gussev was named Esiliiga Player of the Year.[29]

See also

References
  1. "Jalgpalliliit kinnitas Esiliiga ja Esiliiga B 2018 aasta kooseisu" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 28 November 2017.
  2. "Elva linnastaadion" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
  3. "Maarjamäe jalgpallikeskus" (in Estonian). Eesti spordiregister.
  4. "Sportland Arena" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
  5. "Keila staadioni muruväljak" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
  6. "Maardu Linna staadion" (in Estonian). Eesti spordiregister.
  7. "Hiiu kunstmurustaadion" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
  8. "Tamme staadion" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
  9. "Kalevi Keskstaadioni kunstmuruväljak" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
  10. "Rakvere linnastaadion" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
  11. "Flora sai koondisega sama sponsori" (in Estonian). Soccernet.ee. 25 September 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  12. "Welcot juhendanud Siim Valtna vahetab töökohta" (in Estonian). Soccernet.ee. 7 November 2017. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  13. "Welco uueks peatreeneriks sai endine Infoneti Saksamaa noortetreener" (in Estonian). Soccernet.ee. 8 December 2017.
  14. "Flora liigutab nuppe: U21 etteotsa asub Indermitte asemel Sillaste" (in Estonian). Soccernet.ee. 10 November 2017.
  15. "Rebane vahetab Tarva treeneripingil Kirsi välja" (in Estonian). Soccernet.ee. 30 November 2017.
  16. "Keila uueks peatreeneriks sai inglane" (in Estonian). Soccernet.ee. 6 January 2018.
  17. "Tagasi Eestis: Frank Bernhardt vahetas Kalju U21 eesotsas Valeri Bondarenko välja" (in Estonian). Soccernet.ee. 7 August 2018.
  18. "Bernhardt kadus Eestist vaid mõne kuuga" (in Estonian). Soccernet.ee. 18 October 2018.
  19. "Taas ärakukkumine tippjalgpallis: Santos jätkab madalamates liigades" (in Estonian). Soccernet.ee.
  20. "Esiliiga" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  21. "Mängude ajalugu" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
  22. "Esiliiga parimate auhinnad Maardule ja FC Flora U21-le" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 6 April 2018.
  23. "Esiliigas andsid tooni Tarvas ja Welco" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 10 May 2018.
  24. "Esiliiga parimate auhinnad teenisid Haan ja Šapovalov" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 11 June 2018.
  25. "Esiliiga kuu parimateks valiti Kuresoo ja Borissov" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 12 August 2018.
  26. "Esiliiga B parimad tulevad JK Järvest" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 13 September 2018.
  27. "Elva ja Maardu teenisid kuu parima auhinna" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 5 October 2018.
  28. "Esiliiga kuu parimateks valiti Haan ja Männilaan" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 7 November 2018.
  29. "Esiliiga parimaks mängija oli lõppenud hooaja Vitali Gussev" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 9 December 2018.
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