June 18, 2022
With Christofer Walker, aka Motty’s Mic & CWSportradio travelling to Estonia to do live commentaries on matches from Estonia this weekend, it seemed opportune to listen and prepare a report on a least one of the matches he was broadcasting on.
The first match being covered was an Esiliiga match, which is the second division in Estonia, but with Nomme United streaming all of their home matches on their YouTube channel it was possible to both watch the match and listen to an English language commentary.
FC Nomme United are located in a leafy suburb of the capital Tallinn to the south of the city. However, they are not the major football side in the district, with Nomme Kalju being one of the top sides in the country, and currently sitting in third place in the Meistriliiga.
Nomme United were formed in 2000 and play in the Manniku stadium which has 500 uncovered seats and a grass pitch, although matches earlier in the season were played on the artificial surface at the Sportland Arena. The ground is situated on the edge of a forest, so naturally much of the pitch is tree lined.
This is only their third season at the second level of Estonian football, having finished 3rd and 4th respectively in the past two seasons, and the informative league website shows that their average attendance this season so far was 76, which compares to 99 in 2021. Former Derby, Sunderland & Watford goal-keeper Mart Poom appears to be heavily involved in the development of youth players at the club.
Nomme United’s performances so far in 2022 so far have been disappointing compared to the previous two seasons, as rather than pressing for a promotion place, they were languishing in 6th place going into today’s fixture with a 5-5-6 record. However, 17 year old striker Egert Ounapuu had scored 11 times already this season, usually from the bench, but he was not in the squad today.
FCI Levadia Tallinn are the current champions of Estonia, but their under 21 side finished 7th in the past two seasons in the Esiliiga. However, this season they have improved to currently sit in second place with a 10-3-2 record to be behind leaders Paide Linnameeskond U21, who they beat 3-0 in their last outing, on goal difference but with a game in hand. However, neither of these second XIs would be permitted to be promoted to the Meistriliiga.
Murad Velijev was their top scorer so far with 8 goals and has made 3 substitute appearances for the first XI. The only other player in today’s starting line-up to have turned out for the first team is Nikita Vassiljev, who has twice come on as a substitute. 19 year old Russian striker Daniil Timofeev had scored 6 times this season whilst defender Oscar Pihela is just 15 years old. The average home attendances so far this season for Levadia Under 21 is 52.
After losing two of their first three matches, Levadia went into today’s fixture on the back of a 12 game unbeaten run. On the other hand, Nomme United had drawn their last three matches, and were 5 games without a win, and were 4/1 outsiders for this match. Levadia were at 2/5 and the draw 15/4.
The temperature at the 15.00 local time kick-off was around 16 degrees, but with heavy wind and rain at kick-off, most of the hardy spectators were under umbrellas. Tickets for the match were priced at 2€.
Nomme United wore black and red shirts, black shorts and red socks, whilst Levadia were in green shirts and shorts with white trim, and white socks.
Levadia started well, with most of the possession, but had to wait until the 10th minute for their first chance, but a volley from around 8 yards when over the bar. Their first corner was awarded in the 12th minute but the low delivery towards the near post was cleared to the half-way line. They did get the ball into the net in the 17th minute when a chip over the top put Igor Sokolov clear to calmly finish under the Nomme keeper, but the goal was ruled out for off-side.
Nomme responded with a long ball putting Jepihhin to run on goal, but he was a couple of yards offside and the linesman’s flag was correctly raised. Nomme then had their first effort on target as Aigro made ground down the left, and although his low cross went behind Jepihhin, the ball found its way to Kokka, but his left footed shot was straight at keeper Kraizmer and easily saved.
A minute later though Nomme fell behind. Luts won possession near to half-way, pressed forward and passed to Timofeev, whose turn and return pass put Luts clear of the home defence to advance and slot home.
Levadia added a second less than 2 minutes later when Velijev was able to turn on the edge of the penalty area and drilled a powerful shot across goal and into the bottom corner. Levadia were now rampant and Vassiljev should have added third in the 34th minute after being released by Timofeev, but he shot into the side netting as Purg came off his line.
Nomme briefly stemmed the tide when Tiits shot was well held by the diving Kraizmer but Levadia finished the half pressing for another goal, but Timofeev’s diving header went wide, and Velijev created space inside the penalty area to fire across goal but narrowly wide.
Nomme made two substitutions at the start of the second half, but fell further behind just 58 seconds later. Purg was a little slow to react to a back-pass, and as Timofeev closed him down, the striker’s outstretched leg deflected the ball into the empty goal as Purg tried to dribble away from him.
Purg partially redeemed himself 5 minutes later when Voilenko’s 30 yard screamer was tipped onto the crossbar by the diving keeper, and the ball bounced down but not over the line. The Nomme keeper made another fine save in the 64th minute, clawing away a glancing header from Laskov for a corner.
The game’s only moment controversy came from the subsequent corner, when Laskov had his shirt pulled and fell to the ground, and the referee awarded the penalty. However, after talking with his assistant the decision was surprisingly reversed and play resumed with a free-kick to the home side.
Timofeev then had a shot blocked by Kubensky close to the goal-line after pouncing on a weak header by the Nomme centre-back, before Nomme’s final attempt at consolation goal in the 78th minute, but a 30 yard free-kick took two ricochets and was heading wide as Kraizmer gathered.
Levadia finished the match with 3 goals in the final 6 minutes. First, substitute Dronev opened his body to steer a low cross from the right wing, left-footed across goal, and then the same player was left unmarked to smash left-footed into the roof of the net from around 10 yards after a pass from Sokolov. The scoring was completed when substitute Karl Ogius, who has made 8 appearances in the Levadia first team this season, headed home a corner, although it may have been going wide until it deflected of defender Kruse and inside the post.
As Nomme wilted, Levadia could have added a 7th goal but Purg dived to keep out Vassiljev’s attempt from 12 yards.
Levadia went to the top of the Esiliiga with this comprehensive victory, whilst Nomme United remained in 6th place.
FC Nomme United : Purg – Hanvere, Kubensky, Altnurme, Tiigiste –Kokka, Merilai ( Kruse ), Vendelin ( Lehiste ) – Tiits ( Sagittarius ), Jepihhin ( Roots ), Aigro
FCL Levadia U21 : Kraizmer ( Pareiko ) – Voilenko, Artjunin, Pihela - Velijev, Jarve, Luts ( Laskov ), Vassiljev, Sakarias ( Lugtmeijer ), Sokolov - Timofeev ( Dronov )
Complete Match : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4cuKIiYlb4
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