Esiliiga
Season2015
ChampionsFlora II
(2nd title)
PromotedTarvas
RelegatedVaprus
Kuressaare
Matches played180
Goals scored658 (3.66 per match)
Top goalscorerEduard Golovljov (41 goals)
Biggest home winLevadia II 13–1 Kuressaare
(20 September 2015)
Biggest away winVaprus 0–9 Infonet II
(20 September 2015)
Highest scoringLevadia II 13–1 Kuressaare
(20 September 2015)
Longest winning run10 games
Levadia II
Longest unbeaten run12 games
Levadia II
Longest winless run9 games
Tallinna Kalev
Longest losing run6 games
Santos
Tallinna Kalev
← 2014
2016 →

The 2015 Esiliiga was the 25th season of the Esiliiga, second-highest Estonian league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1992. The season started on 8 March 2015 and concluded on 8 November 2015.

Flora II won the league on the last day of the season, finishing with 72 points. It was their second league title.

Tarvas finished 4th and were promoted to the Meistriliiga for the first time in their history. Tallinna Kalev finished 6th and qualified to the promotion play-offs but were beaten by Tammeka 2–4 on aggregate.

Santos finished 8th but avoided the relegation play-offs after Sillamäe Kalev II withdrew. Vaprus and Kuressaare were the bottom two teams and were relegated to the Esiliiga B.

Teams

2015 Esiliiga is located in Estonia
Kuressaare
Flora II Infonet II Levadia II Nõmme Kalju II Tallinna Kalev
Irbis
Tarvas
Vaprus
Santos
Locations of the 2015 Esiliiga teams

Stadia

Team Location Stadium Capacity
Flora II Tallinn A. Le Coq Arena 10,340[1]
Infonet II Tallinn Lasnamäe KJH Stadium 400[2]
Irbis Kiviõli Kiviõli Stadium 180[3]
Kuressaare Kuressaare Kuressaare linnastaadion 1,000[4]
Levadia II Tallinn Maarjamäe Stadium 30[5]
Nõmme Kalju II Tallinn Hiiu Stadium 330[6]
Santos Tartu Tamme Stadium 1,750[7]
Tallinna Kalev Tallinn Kalev Central Stadium 11,500[8]
Tarvas Rakvere Rakvere linnastaadion 1,785[9]
Vaprus Vändra Vändra Stadium 307[10]

Personnel and kits

Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
Flora II Estonia Jürgen Henn Estonia Sten Sinisalu Nike Tele2[11]
Infonet II Estonia Sergei Bragin Estonia Jevgeni Gurtšioglujants Joma Infonet
Irbis Estonia Erik Šteinberg Estonia Sergei Kostin Adidas
Kuressaare Estonia Pelle Pohlak Estonia Sander Viira Joma Saaremaa Lihatööstus
Levadia II Estonia Argo Arbeiter Estonia Kaspar Mutso Adidas Viimsi Keevitus
Nõmme Kalju II Estonia Zaur Tšilingarašvili Adidas Optibet[12]
Santos Estonia Siim Säesk Estonia Taavi Vellemaa Uhlsport Värska
Tallinna Kalev Estonia Marko Pärnpuu Estonia Ando Hausenberg Jako
Tarvas Estonia Valeri Bondarenko Estonia Kaarel Saar Joma Aqva
Vaprus Estonia Ranet Lepik Estonia Karel Otto Macron Møller Auto Pärnu

Managerial changes

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Tallinna Kalev Estonia Sergei Zamogilnõi Contract expired 8 November 2014 Pre-season Estonia Marko Pärnpuu 25 November 2014[13]
Santos Lithuania Algimantas Liubinskas Contract expired 31 December 2014 Estonia Siim Säesk 1 January 2015

Results

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Flora II[a] (C) 36 22 6 8 76 40 +36 72
2 Levadia II[a] 36 22 5 9 118 57 +61 71
3 Infonet II[a] 36 20 6 10 108 48 +60 66
4 Tarvas (P) 36 12 11 13 52 53 −1 47 Promotion to Meistriliiga
5 Tallinna Kalev 36 13 7 16 47 59 −12 46 Qualification for the promotion play-offs
6 Nõmme Kalju II[a] 36 14 4 18 50 56 −6 46
7 Irbis 36 13 5 18 60 87 −27 44
8 Santos (O) 36 12 6 18 56 83 −27 42 Qualification for the relegation play-offs
9 Vaprus (R) 36 11 5 20 43 80 −37 38 Relegation to Esiliiga B
10 Kuressaare (R) 36 10 7 19 48 95 −47 37
Source: Estonian Football Association (in Estonian)
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Play-off (only if deciding champion); 3) Less matches awarded against; 4) Matches won; 5) Head-to-head points; 6) Head-to-head goal difference; 7) Goal difference; 8) Goals scored; 9) Away goals scored; 10) Fairplay ranking.[14]
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ a b c d Reserve teams are ineligible for promotion.

Result tables

Play-offs

Promotion play-offs

Tallinna Kalev, who finished 6th, faced Tammeka, the 9th-placed 2015 Meistriliiga side for a two-legged play-off. The winner on aggregate score after both matches earned entry into the 2016 Meistriliiga. Tammeka won 4–2 on aggregate.

First leg

Tammeka4–1Tallinna Kalev
Kiidron 55'
Tiirik 59'
Hurt 64'
Paju 89'		 Report Larin 54'
Tamme Stadium, Tartu
Attendance: 151
Referee: Kristo Tohver

Second leg

Tallinna Kalev1–0Tammeka
Wahl 50' Report
Kalev Central Stadium, Tallinn
Attendance: 54
Referee: Eiko Saar

Relegation play-offs

Santos, who finished 8th, were supposed to face Sillamäe Kalev II, the 3rd-placed 2015 Esiliiga B side for a two-legged play-off. However, the play-offs were abandoned after Sillamäe Kalev II withdrew and Santos retained their Esiliiga spot for the 2016 season.[15]

Season statistics

Top scorers

Rank Player Club Goals[16]
1 Estonia Eduard Golovljov Infonet II 41
2 Estonia Mark Oliver Roosnupp Levadia II 21
Estonia Juhan Jograf Siim Flora II 21
4 Estonia Nikita Koger Levadia II 19
Estonia Henry Rohtla Levadia II 19
6 Estonia Sergei Akimov Tarvas 16
Estonia Vitali Gussev Irbis 16
8 Estonia Sander Laht Kuressaare 14
Estonia Aleksei Mamontov Irbis 14
10 Estonia Jevgeni Gurtšioglujants Infonet II 13
Estonia Silver Alex Kelder Tallinna Kalev 13

Awards

Monthly awards

Month Manager of the Month Player of the Month
Manager Club Player Club
March[17] Estonia Argo Arbeiter Levadia II Estonia Joonas Ljaš Tarvas
April[18] Estonia Marko Pärnpuu Tallinna Kalev Estonia Sergei Akimov Tarvas
May[19] Estonia Erik Šteinberg Irbis Estonia Mark Oliver Roosnupp Levadia II
June[20] Estonia Pelle Pohlak Kuressaare Estonia Hans Naano Vaprus
July[21] Estonia Marko Pärnpuu Tallinna Kalev Estonia Herol Riiberg Flora II
August[22] Estonia Argo Arbeiter Levadia II Estonia Eduard Golovljov Infonet II
September[23] Estonia Argo Arbeiter Levadia II Estonia Taavi Vellemaa Santos
October[24] Estonia Jürgen Henn Flora II Estonia Karel Otto Vaprus

Annual awards

Player of the Season

Eduard Golovljov was named Player of the Season.[25]

See also

References

  1. ^ "A. Le Coq Arena staadion ja tribüünihoone" (in Estonian). Spordiregister.ee.
  2. ^ "Lasnamäe Kergejõustikuhalli spordiväljakud" (in Estonian). Spordiregister.ee.
  3. ^ "Kiviõli linna staadion" (in Estonian). Spordiregister.ee.
  4. ^ "Kuressaare Linnastaadion" (in Estonian). Spordiregister.ee.
  5. ^ "Maarjamäe jalgpallikeskus" (in Estonian). Spordiregister.ee.
  6. ^ "Hiiu Staadion ja palliväljakud" (in Estonian). Spordiregister.ee.
  7. ^ "Tamme staadion" (in Estonian). Eesti Spordiregister.
  8. ^ "Kalevi Keskstaadion" (in Estonian). Eesti Spordiregister.
  9. ^ "Rakvere staadion" (in Estonian). Eesti Spordiregister.
  10. ^ "Vändra alevi staadion" (in Estonian). Eesti Spordiregister.
  11. ^ "Flora sai koondisega sama sponsori". Soccernet.ee. 25 September 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  12. ^ "Nõmme Kalju sõlmis Eesti klubijalgpalli ühe suurima lepingu". jkkalju.ee. 7 February 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  13. ^ "Pärnpuust saab Kalevi peatreener" (in Estonian). Soccernet.ee. 25 November 2014.
  14. ^ "Eesti 2015. a meistrivõistluste Premium ja Esiliiga juhend" (PDF) (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 25 November 2014. p. 12. Retrieved 12 July 2015.[permanent dead link]
  15. ^ "Tartu FC Santos mängib Esiliigas ka uuel hooajal" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 10 November 2015.
  16. ^ "MÄNGUDE AJALUGU" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
  17. ^ "Premium liiga kuu parimad on Hurt ja Kallaste" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 2 April 2015.
  18. ^ "Premium liiga parimateks valiti Terehhov ja Zahovaiko" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 6 May 2015.
  19. ^ "Premium liiga maikuu parimateks valiti Lillevere ja Teever" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 5 June 2015.
  20. ^ "Juuni parimateks valiti Marko Kristal ja Jevgeni Harin" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 1 July 2015.
  21. ^ "Premium liiga kuu parimateks valiti Terehhov ja Luts" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 6 August 2015.
  22. ^ "Premium liiga kuu parima tiitli said Kristal ja Teever" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 9 September 2015.
  23. ^ "Premium liiga kuu parimad tulevad Transist ja Levadiast" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 2 October 2015.
  24. ^ "Hurt ja Sappinen teenisid kuu parima autasu" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 5 November 2015.
  25. ^ "Premium liiga parimaks mängijaks valiti Ingemar Teever" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 22 November 2015.
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