Meistriliiga
Season2016
ChampionsInfonet
(1st title)
RelegatedTarvas
Champions LeagueInfonet
Europa LeagueLevadia
Nõmme Kalju
Flora
Matches played180
Goals scored582 (3.23 per match)
Top goalscorerYevgeni Kabaev (25 goals)
Best goalkeeperSergei Lepmets (18 clean sheets)
Biggest home winPaide 7–0 Tarvas
(23 August 2016)
Biggest away winTarvas 0–6 Trans
(1 October 2016)
Pärnu 1–7 Trans
(29 October 2016)
Highest scoringLevadia 7–1 Paide
(24 July 2016)
Pärnu 1–7 Trans
(29 October 2016)
Longest winning run10 matches
Infonet
Longest unbeaten run14 matches
Infonet
Longest winless run36 matches
Tarvas
Longest losing run16 matches
Tarvas
← 2015
2017 →

The 2016 Meistriliiga (known as A. Le Coq Premium Liiga for sponsorship reasons[1]) was the 26th season of the Meistriliiga, the highest division of Estonian football system. The season began on 4 March 2016 and concluded on 5 November 2016.[2][3]

Infonet won the league on the last matchday of the season, finishing with 80 points. It was their first league title.[4]

Teams

A total of 10 teams will contest the league. These include 9 teams from the 2015 season and one promoted team from the 2015 Esiliiga: Tarvas, making their debut in the top flight. Tarvas replaces Tulevik who were relegated from the Meistriliiga after a single season. In the relegation play-off Tammeka successfully defended their league spot by defeating challengers Tallinna Kalev.

Stadia

2016 Meistriliiga is located in Estonia
Flora Levadia Kalju Infonet
Paide
Sillamäe
Trans
Pärnu
Tarvas
Tammeka
Location of the 2016 Meistriliiga teams
Team Location Stadium Seating capacity
Flora Tallinn A. Le Coq Arena 9,692[5]
Infonet Tallinn Infonet Lasnamäe Stadium 400[6]
Levadia Tallinn Kadriorg Stadium 5,000[7]
Narva Trans Narva Kreenholm Stadium 1,065[8]
Nõmme Kalju Tallinn Hiiu Stadium 300[9]
Paide Linnameeskond Paide Paide linnastaadion 268[10]
Pärnu Linnameeskond Pärnu Pärnu Rannastaadion 1,501
Sillamäe Kalev Sillamäe Sillamäe Kalev Stadium 800[11]
Tammeka Tartu Tamme Stadium 1,750[12]
Tarvas Rakvere Rakvere linnastaadion 1,785[13]

Personnel and kits

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players and Managers may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
Flora Estonia Argo Arbeiter Estonia Gert Kams Nike Tele2[14]
Infonet Estonia Aleksandr Puštov Estonia Andrei Kalimullin Joma Infonet
Levadia Estonia Igor Prins Estonia Rimo Hunt Adidas Viimsi Keevitus
Narva Trans Russia Adyam Kuzyaev Estonia Roman Nesterovski Nike Sportland
Nõmme Kalju Russia Sergei Frantsev Estonia Vitali Teleš Adidas Optibet[15]
Paide Linnameeskond Estonia Meelis Rooba Estonia Lauri Varendi Nike Enemat
Pärnu Linnameeskond Estonia Marko Lelov Estonia Karl Palatu Hummel Wendre[16]
Sillamäe Kalev Lithuania Algimantas Briaunys
Ukraine Vadym Dobizha 		Estonia Mihhail Starodubtsev Uhlsport Alexela
Tammeka Estonia Indrek Koser Estonia Kaarel Kiidron Nike Sportland
Tarvas Estonia Urmas Kirs Estonia Kaarel Saar Nike Aqva Hotel & Spa

Managerial changes

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Replaced by Date of appointment
Levadia Estonia Marko Kristal Sacked 7 November 2015[17] Pre-season Estonia Sergei Ratnikov 7 November 2015[17]
Nõmme Kalju Brazil Getúlio Fredo Caretaker spell over 7 November 2015[18] Russia Sergei Frantsev 7 November 2015[18]
Sillamäe Kalev Russia Denis Ugarov Sacked 24 May 2016[19] 8th Lithuania Algimantas Briaunys (caretaker)
Ukraine Vadym Dobizha (caretaker) 		24 May 2016
Tarvas Estonia Valeri Bondarenko Sacked 4 June 2016[20] 10th Estonia Urmas Kirs 4 June 2016
Flora Estonia Norbert Hurt Resigned 8 July 2016[21] 4th Estonia Jürgen Henn (caretaker) 8 July 2016
Levadia Estonia Sergei Ratnikov Sacked 11 July 2016 [22] 2nd Estonia Igor Prins 11 July 2016[23]
Flora Estonia Jürgen Henn Caretaker spell over 13 July 2016 4th Estonia Argo Arbeiter 13 July 2016[24]

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Infonet Tallinn (C) 36 24 8 4 74 33 +41 80 Qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round
2 Levadia Tallinn 36 24 6 6 77 30 +47 78 Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round[a]
3 Nõmme Kalju 36 22 9 5 70 28 +42 75
4 Flora Tallinn 36 21 10 5 96 31 +65 73
5 Sillamäe Kalev 36 14 9 13 65 55 +10 51
6 Paide Linnameeskond 36 14 6 16 58 61 −3 48
7 Tartu Tammeka 36 12 5 19 43 65 −22 41
8 Narva Trans 36 11 8 17 60 68 −8 41
9 Pärnu Linnameeskond (O) 36 5 2 29 24 98 −74 17 Qualification for the relegation play-offs
10 Rakvere Tarvas (R) 36 0 3 33 15 113 −98 3 Relegation to the Esiliiga
Source: Estonian Football Association (in Estonian), UEFA, Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Play-off (only if deciding champion); 3) Less matches awarded against; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Matches won; 7) Goal difference; 8) Goals scored; 9) Away goals scored; 10) Fairplay ranking.[25][26]
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Since the winner of the 2016–17 Estonian Cup FCI Tallinn had qualified to Champions League, the cup winners' spot was inherited by fourth-placed club Flora.

Relegation play-offs

At season's end Pärnu, the ninth place club, participated in a two-legged play-off with Maardu Linnameeskond, the runners-up (of independent teams) of the 2016 Esiliiga, for the spot in 2017 Meistriliiga.[27]

12 November 2016 Maardu Linnameeskond 1–5 Pärnu Linnameeskond Maardu
13:00 UTC+2 Zelentsov 59' (pen.) Report Aristov 8' (o.g.)
Saarts 30', 54'
Tutk 45'
Vihmoja 71'		 Stadium: Maardu artificial turf
Attendance: 86
Referee: Juri Frischer
19 November 2016 Pärnu Linnameeskond 4–3 Maardu Linnameeskond Pärnu
13:00 UTC+2 Saarts 22'
Boldyrev 37' (o.g.)
Pärnat 43'
Vunk 88'		 Report Abdullajev 27'
Krivošein 53'
Zelentsov 89'		 Stadium: Pärnu artificial turf
Attendance: 135
Referee: Kristo Tohver
Pärnu Linnameeskond won 9–4 on aggregate and retained their Meistriliiga spot for the 2017 season.

Results

Each team plays every opponent four times, twice at home and twice away, for a total of 36 games.

Season statistics

Hat-tricks

Player For Against Result Date
Finland Sakari Tukiainen5 Flora Tarvas 6–0 8 March 2016[29]
Estonia Vjatšeslav Zahovaiko Paide Linnameeskond Tarvas 4–2 13 May 2016[30]
Estonia Albert Prosa Flora Sillamäe Kalev 4–2 13 May 2016[31]
Estonia Rauno Alliku4 Flora Tarvas 5–0 19 June 2016[32]
Azerbaijan Rizvan Umarov Narva Trans Tammeka 4–1 19 June 2016[33]
Estonia Vjatšeslav Zahovaiko Paide Linnameeskond Tammeka 3–0 9 July 2016[34]
Estonia Ats Purje Nõmme Kalju Tarvas 6–1 10 July 2016[35]
Russia Anton Miranchuk Levadia Paide Linnameeskond 7–1 24 July 2016[36]
Finland Sakari Tukiainen Flora Paide Linnameeskond 3–0 29 July 2016[37]
Russia Yevgeni Kabaev4 Sillamäe Kalev Tammeka 5–1 30 July 2016[38]
Estonia Vjatšeslav Zahovaiko Paide Linnameeskond Pärnu Linnameeskond 4–1 9 September 2016[39]
Estonia Kaspar Paur Tammeka Tarvas 5–0 9 September 2016[40]
Estonia Andrei Sidorenkov Nõmme Kalju Pärnu Linnameeskond 4–0 17 September 2016[41]
Estonia Rauno Alliku Flora Pärnu Linnameeskond 6–1 1 October 2016[42]
Russia Dmitri Barkov Narva Trans Pärnu Linnameeskond 7–1 29 October 2016[43]

4 Player scored 4 goals.
5 Player scored 5 goals.

Awards

Monthly awards

Month Manager of the Month Player of the Month
Manager Club Player Club
March[44] Estonia Aleksandr Puštov Infonet Ghana Ofosu Appiah Infonet
April[45] Estonia Meelis Rooba Paide Linnameeskond Estonia Andrei Sidorenkov Nõmme Kalju
May[46] Estonia Aleksandr Puštov Infonet Russia Anton Miranchuk Levadia
June/July[47] Lithuania Algimantas Briaunys Sillamäe Kalev Estonia Dmitri Kruglov Infonet
August[48] Estonia Argo Arbeiter Flora Estonia Gert Kams Flora
September[49] Estonia Igor Prins Levadia Estonia Vjatšeslav Zahovaiko Paide Linnameeskond
October[50] Russia Sergei Frantsev Nõmme Kalju Russia Yevgeni Kabaev Sillamäe Kalev

Meistriliiga Player of the Year

Yevgeni Kabaev was named Meistriliiga Player of the Year.[51]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Kodune tippjalgpall saab peatoetaja" [Domestic top football will get the main sponsor] (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 26 February 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  2. ^ "Eesti Jalgpalli Liit".
  3. ^ "Eesti 2015.a meistrivõistluste Meistri- ja Esiliiga juhend" (PDF). jalgpall.ee (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 19 December 2014. p. 16. Retrieved 9 November 2015.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ "Eesti meister on Infonet". Soccernet.ee. 4 November 2016. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
  5. ^ "A. Le Coq Arena" (in Estonian). FC Flora. Archived from the original on 17 April 2016. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  6. ^ "Lasnamäe Kergejõustikuhalli spordiväljakud" (in Estonian). Eesti Spordiregister. 30 October 2015. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  7. ^ "Kadrioru Staadion" (in Estonian). Eesti Spordiregister. 16 September 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  8. ^ "Narva Paemurru Spordikooli Kreenholmi staadion" (in Estonian). Eesti Spordiregister. 6 October 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  9. ^ "Hiiu Staadion" (in Estonian). Eesti Spordiregister. 29 December 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  10. ^ "Paide linna staadion" (in Estonian). Eesti Spordiregister. 24 September 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  11. ^ "Spordikompleks "Kalev" staadion" (in Estonian). Eesti Spordiregister. 13 October 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  12. ^ "Tamme staadion" (in Estonian). Eesti Spordiregister. 8 October 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  13. ^ "Rakvere staadion" (in Estonian). Eesti Spordiregister. 30 October 2015. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  14. ^ "Flora sai koondisega sama sponsori". Soccernet.ee. 25 September 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  15. ^ "Nõmme Kalju sõlmis Eesti klubijalgpalli ühe suurima lepingu". jkkalju.ee. 7 February 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  16. ^ "Pärnu läheb uue peatreeneri ja peasponsoriga tähtede poole" (in Estonian). Soccernet.ee. 22 December 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  17. ^ a b "Levadia kinnitas Sergei Ratnikovi ametisse" (in Estonian). Soccernet.ee. 7 November 2015. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
  18. ^ a b "Kalju palkas Sergei Frantsevi" (in Estonian). Soccernet.ee. 4 November 2015. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
  19. ^ "Ametlik: Sillamäe Kalev andis Ugarovile kinga" (in Estonian). Soccernet.ee. 24 May 2016.
  20. ^ "Rakvere Tarvas vahetab peatreenerit" (in Estonian). Soccernet.ee. 4 June 2016.
  21. ^ "Norbert Hurt paneb Flora peatreeneri ameti maha" (in Estonian). Soccernet.ee. 8 July 2016.
  22. ^ "Levadiast lahkunud Ratnikov: klubi otsus ei tulnud üllatusena" (in Estonian). Delfi Sport. 11 July 2016.
  23. ^ "Ratnikov lahkus Levadiast, uus peatreener on Prins" (in Estonian). Soccernet.ee. 11 July 2016.
  24. ^ "Flora nimetas uueks peatreeneriks Argo Arbeiteri" (in Estonian). Soccernet.ee. 13 July 2016.
  25. ^ "Eesti 2016. a meistrivõistluste Premium ja Esiliiga juhend" (PDF) (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 11 November 2015. p. 12. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  26. ^ "Meistriliiga 2016 - Season rules". Scoresway. Archived from the original on 2 November 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  27. ^ "Eesti 2016.a meistrivõistluste Meistri- ja Esiliiga juhend" (PDF) (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  28. ^ "ML VÄRAVALÖÖJATE EDETABEL (2016)" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
  29. ^ "Tallinna FC Flora 6 : 0 Rakvere JK Tarvas" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
  30. ^ "Paide Linnameeskond 4 : 2 Rakvere JK Tarvas" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
  31. ^ "Tallinna FC Flora 6 : 0 JK Sillamäe Kalev" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
  32. ^ "Rakvere JK Tarvas 0 : 5 Tallinna FC Flora" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
  33. ^ "JK Narva Trans 4 : 1 Tartu JK Tammeka" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
  34. ^ "Paide Linnameeskond - Tartu JK Tammeka 3:0" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
  35. ^ "Rakvere JK Tarvas - Nõmme Kalju FC 1:6" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
  36. ^ "Tallinna FC Levadia - Paide Linnameeskond 7:1" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
  37. ^ "Paide Linnameeskond - Tallinna FC Flora 0:3" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
  38. ^ "JK Sillamäe Kalev - Tartu JK Tammeka 5:1" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
  39. ^ "Paide Linnameeskond - Pärnu Linnameeskond 4:1" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
  40. ^ "Tartu JK Tammeka - Rakvere JK Tarvas 5:0" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
  41. ^ "Pärnu Linnameeskond - Nõmme Kalju FC 0:4" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
  42. ^ "Pärnu Linnameeskond - Tallinna FC Flora 1:6" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
  43. ^ "Pärnu Linnameeskond - JK Narva Trans 1:7" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
  44. ^ "Premium liiga märtsikuu parimateks valiti Puštov ja Appiah" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 31 March 2016.
  45. ^ "Premium liiga kuu parimad on Rooba ja Sidorenkov" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 5 May 2016.
  46. ^ "Maikuu parimateks valiti Puštov ja Miranchuk" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 13 June 2016.
  47. ^ "Premium liiga parimateks tunnistati Briaunys ja Kruglov" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 5 August 2016.
  48. ^ "Premium liiga parimaks valiti suurepärase alguse teinud Arbeiter" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 13 September 2016.
  49. ^ "Premium liiga kuu parimad on Prins ja Zahovaiko" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 13 October 2016.
  50. ^ "Premium liiga kuu parimateks valiti Frantcev ja Kabaev" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 4 November 2016.
  51. ^ "Premium liiga aasta parimaks mängijaks valiti Evgeny Kabaev" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 27 November 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
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