June 21, 2021
These diaries last reviewed the Estonia Meistriliiga in December at the conclusion of the 2020 season. At that time the final qualification place into the Europa Conference was still to be decided as the 2020/21 Estonian Cup was to be concluded in the spring. That competition has now concluded, with Levadia beating champions Flora 1-0 in the final thanks to a 70th minute overhead kick from Robert Kirss, to extend Levadia’s qualification for European football to 17 consecutive seasons. Flora had won their 12th Estonian title, and Paide Linnameeskond had their best ever season to finish second.
The 2021 Meistriliiga has been a bit stop-start with a several matches being postponed due to outbreaks of Covid-19, and today’s match was a catch-up from round 3 played in late March. Going into today’s game Flora had played three less games than most teams in the Meistriliiga. Flora had a 9-2-0 record to lie in third place, having drawn 0-0 at home to Levadia and 3-3 at Tulevik Viljandi. However, despite the cup defeat to Levadia, they won the second league meeting between the two sides 4-2. They had also laid down an important marker with a 1-0 win over Paide in the Super Cup Final.
Levadia topped the table, 5 points ahead of Flora but having played three games more, As well as taking just one point from their two fixtures against Flora, they had also lost 0-4 at home to Paide, before winning 2-1 away.
Paide sat in second place, one point ahead of Flora from three games more, having gone 9 games unbeaten from the start of the season, before the loss to Levadia, and then more surprisingly losing 0-1 at home to Tulevik. They are still to play Flora in the league.
Flora lost international midfielder Vladislav Kreida during the winter break to Swedish side Helsingborgs, but strengthened their squad in accordance with their all Estonian requirements by signing ex Dundee and Swindon forward Hendrik Ojamaa from Widzew Lodz ( 44 caps ) and ex Blackpool forward Sergei Zenjov from Shakhter Karagandy ( 85 caps, 13 goals ).
Last season’s league top scorer Rauno Sappinen has so far scored 9 times for Flora, with Zenjov and veteran international midfielder Konstantin Vassiljev having found the net 3 times.
Tartu Tammeka finished the 2020 season in 5th place but went into today’s encounter in a disappointing 9th position. They won their first two matches, both away, 3-1 at Kuressaare and 2-1 at Parnu but were winless in 8 subsequent matches. Tristan Koskor was the league’s third highest goal scorer in 2020 with 12 goals, and has already notched 5 goals this season. Russian defender Igor Durarev has found the net 4 times, with three in their last two games.
Flora faced a 185km trip south-east from the capital Tallinn to Tartu for the match at the 1,750 capacity Tartu Tammeka stadium, which is an athletics stadium with a grass pitch. There is one stand, with the coaches and substitutes benches on the far side in front of a pleasant row of trees.
Matches at the start of the season were played behind closed doors, but the one league match played so far in June did allow a limited number of spectators, and a decent crowd by Tammeka’s standards was in attendance for this match, including what appeared to be at least 7 Flora supporters, demonstrating that beer is available inside the stadium !
The last outings for both sides were home matches against bottom side Parnu JK Vaprus. Flora coasted to a 2-0 victory after Vaprus had been reduced to 10 men, whilst two weeks earlier Tammeka had twice had to come from behind to draw 2-2, thanks to two penalties from Durarev.
Flora have won 16 out of the last 17 meetings between the sides, with Tammeka getting a 0-0 draw in Tallinn in May 2020. Tammeka’s last win over Flora came in September 2016, when they won 3-2 at home.
Bet365 had Flora 2/11 odds on favourites, with Tartu 11/1 outsiders and the draw at 11/2 Temperatures at the 5pm local time kick-off were expected to be 32 degrees, and SoccernetEE streamed the match live on their YouTube channel and via their website.
Tammeka made two changes to their starting XI against Vaprus with Kevin Anderson coming in for Ats Toomsalu in the back three, and Sander Kapper replacing Andre Paju in attack. Flora made one change, with the welcome return, well for Flora anyway, of Sappinen up front.
Flora had 12 of their players selected in Estonia’s most recent national squad, and 8 of today’s starting line-up were internationals, and the other three players had played for the Under 21 side. Four full Estonian internationals also lined up on the substitutes bench. In contrast, Tammeka could only boast Koskor ( 2 caps ) and the veteran full-back Taijo Teniste ( 77 caps ).
The match started very slowly, with both sides content to keep possession in the heat and build patiently from the back, resulting is very little action in the first 10 minutes. A dangerous cross from Miller in the 11th minute was cleared for a corner, but Tammeka defended it well and the danger passed.
Tammeka’s first dangerous move occurred in the 16th minute, with Koskor running clear onto a long ball but he placed his shot over the bar as the Flora keeper advanced of his line. However, it wouldn’t have counted as an offside was awarded.
Spurred by this Flora struck almost immediately after, as the game awoke from its slumbers. Valja ran from midfield, exchanged a pass with Sappinen, but before he could latch on the return, team-mate Markus Poom, son of Mart Poom, beat him to it and put the ball past the Tammeka keeper from just outside the 6 yard box.
Tammeka responded brightly to this set-back. Veelma was crowded out before he could get a shot away, and when the ball was reworked back out to the right wing, Flora keeper Nomm had to make a good catch to prevent Anderson from heading home. Tammeka’s spell of pressure didn’t last long though, and Flora doubled their lead in the 24th minute. Poom turned provider, with a long ball down the left channel for Sappinen to run onto, and the league’s best forward expertly twisted away from his marker, ran across the goal-keeper and slid to prod the ball home before Pechter could dive on it. This was also the cue for a much needed drinks break in the heat.
Flora added a third 5 minutes before half-time with a finely made goal. The impressive Zenjov won possession on half-way on the right side, played a short pass to Valja and ran clear to receive the return pass. Looking up he unselfishly played a square ball to the unmarked Sappinen, who easily beat Pechter for his second goal of the game.
Flora should have extended their lead 24 seconds into the second half, but Zenjov completely missed his kick after Miller’s through ball had put him one-on-one with the Tammeka keeper. The home side were presumably still mentally in the dressing room, as Miller shot inches wide less than a minute later.
Flora then put their foot on the brake, content not to over exert themselves in the hot weather, and Tammeka started to create some half chances. The hard working Koskor held the ball up well and crossed to the far post where Kapper showed good control, but his shot was well blocked. Tammeka were getting some joy down the left side, and in the 59th minute Veelma’s cross just evaded Koskor.
There was nearly a moment on controversy in the 62th minute. Soomets clearly tripped Kapper as he moved towards a loose ball, but the referee waived play-on, and an immediate long ball over the top again found Zenjov in the clear. However, fortunately for Tammeka, and perhaps the match officials, his lob over the keeper went narrowly over the bar.
The match began to fizzle out as the substitutions began to be made, and there was another drinks break at the 70 minute mark. Tammeka almost grabbed a consolation goal 5 minutes from time. Another cross from Koskor on the left into the 6 yard box was just beyond the stretching Laabus, and the ball cannoned off a Flora defender to prevent Uljanov having a simple finish. The ball eventually found its way to Veelma just outside the penalty area, but his left footed volley went inches wide of the post.
With the three points Flora continue to close the gap on Levadia, and they were comfortable winners. It always looked as if they were in control, and probably could have scored more goals if they needed to.
Tartu Tammeka : Pechter – Tammik, Anderson ( Laabus ), Dudarev– Teniste, Laaneots, Jarnviste, Aloe – Kapper ( Uljanov ), Koskor ( Matas ), Veelma,
Flora Tallinn : – Nomm – Lilander, Purg ( Kallaste ), Seppik, Lukka – Zenjov, Poom, Valja ( Vassiljev ), Soomets, Miller – Sappinen ( Alliku )
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