Meistriliiga week 18: Flora move into second

Flora 3-0 Sillamäe

Flora leapfrogged city rivals Levadia into second place in the Meistriliiga table with a comfortable 3-0 win over Sillamäe at the A.Le Coq Arena on Saturday. Flora were ahead in the 19th minute when Gert Kams stooped to head Karl-Eerik Luigend's cross home at the far post. It was 2-0 ten minutes later when Valeri Minkenen converted a penalty following a double hand ball by Tanel Tamberg. Flora controlled the second half as Sillamäe rarely threatened and Kams sealed the win with a good header three minutes from time. Levadia and Kalju's 1-1 draw at Kadriorg later in the day meant that Flora stayed second. Nearly 500 saw Igor Subbotin put Levadia 1-0 up with a tap in after 11 minutes and Gambian midfielder Yankuba Ceesay equalise for Kalju following a corner on 69 minutes. The result helps Flora in their pursuit of top spot as they now sit just a point behind Kalju, though Kalju have a game in hand.

Tammeka 2-3 Trans

A see-saw game in Tartu saw Trans eventually emerge with three points against Tammeka. Aleksandr Alekseev struck from the edge of the box after just six minutes but Tammeka turned it round midway through the first half. Kaspar Kaldoja was fouled when about to shoot in the Trans area and a penalty awarded on 33 minutes. Kaldoja picked himself up to slot home. Three minutes later, Ander Paabut pressurised Trans captain Stanislav Kitto into conceding possession and then Paabut fired home from the 18 yards. But Vitali Gussev turned it round for Trans in the second half, first with a good volley from the angle of the penalty area  and the second, on 73 minutes, a clinical finish after easing past three Tammeka defenders. The win puts Trans back into fifth place above Paide as they look to catch Sillamäe in fourth spot. It also leaves Tammeka stuck at the bottom of the table as they continue to miss Albert Prosa's goals - they've managed just seven goals in 17 games this season.

Thursday night sees three Meistriliiga teams in action in the qualifying round of the Europa League. Kalju travel to Azerbaijan to face Xäzär Länkäran, while Trans also face Azerbaijani opposition in Inter Baku (in Rakvere). Levadia face Šiauliai of Lithuania at Kadriorg.