2020 Esiliiga

Esiliiga
Season	2020
Dates	5 March 2020 – 29 November 2020
Champions	Vaprus
Promoted	Vaprus
Relegated	Vändra; Järve
Top goalscorer	Kevin Mätas (22 goals)
Biggest home win	Pärnu Jalgpalliklubi 11–0 Järve; (23 August 2020)
Biggest away win	Järve 1–8 Nõmme United; (3 October 2020)
Highest scoring	Pärnu Jalgpalliklubi 11–0 Järve; (23 August 2020)
	← 2019 2021 →

The 2020 Esiliiga was the 30th season of the Esiliiga, the second tier of Estonian football. The season started on 5 March 2020 and concluded on 29 November 2022.

Teams

A total of 10 teams contest in the league, including six sides from the 2019 season, one relegated from 2019 Meistriliiga and three promoted from the 2019 Esiliiga B.^[1]

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion, qualification or relegation
1	Vaprus (C, P)	32	19	8	5	72	30	+42	65	Promotion to Meistriliiga
2	Maardu Linnameeskond	32	20	4	8	68	45	+23	64	Qualification for promotion play-offs
3	Nõmme United	32	16	7	9	76	43	+33	55
4	Flora U21^[a]	32	15	6	11	64	46	+18	51
5	Elva	32	14	7	11	54	52	+2	49
6	Tammeka U21^[a]	32	12	3	17	47	68	−21	39^[b]

7	FCI Levadia U21^[a]	30	12	5	13	42	41	+1	41^[b]
8	Pärnu Jalgpalliklubi (O)	30	11	7	12	61	56	+5	40^[b]	Qualification for relegation play-offs
9	Vändra (R)	30	10	2	18	47	72	−25	32	Relegation to Esiliiga B
10	Järve^[c] (R)	30	1	3	26	13	91	−78	3	Relegation to Esiliiga B

Updated to match(es) played on 25 November 2020. Source: Estonian Football Association (in Estonian),
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Less matches awarded against; 3) Head-to-head points; 4) Head-to-head goal difference; 5) Matches won; 6) Goal difference; 7) Goals scored; 8) Away goals scored; 9) Fairplay ranking.^[2]
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:

^ ^a ^b ^c Reserve teams are ineligible for promotion.
^ ^a ^b ^c FC Levadia U21 and Pärnu Jalgpalliklubi are part of the relegation group and are placed below Tammeka U21 which is part of the promotion group.
^ Järve deducted 3 points for financial issues.

Results

Matches 1–18

Home \ Away	ELV	LEV	FLO	JÄR	MAA	NÕM	PÄR	TAM	VÄN	VAP
Elva	—	4–0	0–1	2–1	0–2	2–4	4–2	2–1	3–2	2–2
FCI Levadia U21	1–1	—	1–1	1–0	2–1	1–4	3–1	2–3	3–1	2–1
Flora U21	5–1	2–1	—	0–0	5–0	2–3	0–0	2–0	1–2	0–1
Järve	0–1	0–2	2–1	—	0–4	1–1	1–2	0–1	2–3	0–5
Maardu LM	1–1	1–0	1–0	2–0	—	3–0	5–1	5–0	3–1	2–1
Nõmme United	0–0	1–0	2–1	0–0	5–0	—	4–0	3–1	1–1	2–2
Pärnu Jalgpalliklubi	3–2	2–0	1–1	2–0	0–1	1–3	—	3–2	0–2	1–1
Tammeka U21	5–1	2–0	0–2	5–2	1–2	0–4	6–1	—	1–0	1–2
Vändra	2–3	3–2	1–3	3–1	1–2	3–3	3–2	2–0	—	2–3
Vaprus	2–1	0–0	2–2	7–0	3–2	1–0	1–1	3–0	4–1	—

Source: Estonian Football Association (in Estonian)
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Matches 19–32

Home \ Away	ELV	LEV	FLO	JÄR	MAA	NÕM	PÄR	TAM	VÄN	VAP
Elva	—	2–0	1–1	—	1–2	4–1	—	0–1	2–0	0–0
FCI Levadia U21	—	—	—	—	—	1–0	1–1	—	2–0	0–2
Flora U21	3–5	2–3	—	—	0–4	3–1	—	4–1	4–1	0–1
Järve	2–3	0–6	0–1	—	—	1–8	—	0–1	—	—
Maardu LM	0–0	3–1	3–5	5–0	—	0–2	4–1	2–2	3–1	2–1
Nõmme United	1–0	—	3–4	—	6–0	—	1–1	1–2	—	0–3
Pärnu Jalgpalliklubi	0–3	—	2–3	11–0	—	—	—	—	4–2	1–1
Tammeka U21	1–3	1–1	3–2	—	3–3	0–5	1–5	—	—	2–1
Vändra	—	—	—	1–0	—	1–6	—	1–0	—	—
Vaprus	6–0	—	0–3	1–0	1–0	4–1	—	4–0	6–2	—

Source: Estonian Football Association (in Estonian)
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Relegation play-offs

29 November 2020

13:00 (UTC+2)

Tabasalu	1–3	Pärnu Jalgpalliklubi
Linde 45+1'	Report	Kauniste 34' Sild 37' Mohhov 60'

Tabasalu Arena, Tabasalu

Attendance: 293

Referee: Elar Tarkus

5 December 2020

13:00 (UTC+2)

Pärnu Jalgpalliklubi	5–1	Tabasalu
Sild 16' Makovei 32' Novikov 37' Pärnat 53', 75'	Report	Ekharts 29'

Pärnu artificial turf, Pärnu

Attendance: 95

Referee: Kristo Külljastinen

Pärnu Jalgpalliklubi won 8–2 on aggregate.

Season statistics

Top scorers

Rank	Player	Club	Goals
1	Kevin Mätas	Nõmme United	22
2	Ilja Zelentsov	Maardu Linnameeskond	20
3	Igor Ustritski	Flora U21	19
4	Devid Lehter	Elva	17
5	Ronaldo Tiismaa	Vaprus	14
6	Kristen Saarts	Vaprus	13
7	Vadim Aksjonov	Maardu Linnameeskond	12
	Martin Jõgi	Tammeka U21
	Kein Makovei	Pärnu Jalgpalliklubi
	Martin Pärn	Vändra

Awards

Monthly awards

Month	Manager of the Month		Player of the Month
Month	Manager	Club	Player	Club
May^[3]	Martin Klasen	Nõmme United	Raimond Eino	Nõmme United
June^[4]	Algimantas Briaunys	Maardu Linnameeskond	Kevin Mätas	Nõmme United
July^[5]	Martin Klasen	Nõmme United	Henri Hanson	Vaprus
August^[6]	Marti Pähn	Tammeka U21	Devid Lehter	Elva
September^[7]	Taavi Midenbritt	Vaprus	Kevin Mätas	Nõmme United
October^[8]	Robert Sadovski	FCI Levadia U21	Uku Kõrre	Vaprus

Esiliiga Player of the Year

Kevin Mätas was named Esiliiga Player of the Year.^[9]

References

^ "Jalgpalliliidu juhatus kinnitas tippliigade koosseisud" (in Estonian). Soccernet.ee. 4 January 2018.
^ "Esiliiga" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
^ "Esiliiga kuu parimate auhinnad läksid Nõmme Unitedile" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 11 June 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
^ "Esiliiga kuu parimateks valiti Mätas ja Briaunys" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 7 July 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
^ "Esiliiga kuu parimateks valiti Henri Hanson ja Martin Klasen" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 10 August 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
^ "Esiliiga kuu parimate auhinnad läksid Elvasse ja Tartusse" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
^ "Esiliiga kuu parimateks valiti Mätas ja Midenbritt" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 23 October 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
^ "Esiliiga kuu parimateks valiti Kõrre ja Sadovski" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 4 November 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
^ "Esiliiga parimaks mängijaks valiti Kevin Mätas" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. Retrieved 15 January 2023.

[table_note_FLO0.27110343532222-2] Reserve teams are ineligible for promotion.

[table_hth_LEV0.27110343532222-3] FC Levadia U21 and Pärnu Jalgpalliklubi are part of the relegation group and are placed below Tammeka U21 which is part of the promotion group.

[table_note_JÄR0.27110343532222-4] Järve deducted 3 points for financial issues.

[1] "Jalgpalliliidu juhatus kinnitas tippliigade koosseisud" (in Estonian). Soccernet.ee. 4 January 2018.

[5] "Esiliiga" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. Retrieved 2 February 2016.

[6] "Esiliiga kuu parimate auhinnad läksid Nõmme Unitedile" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 11 June 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2022.

[7] "Esiliiga kuu parimateks valiti Mätas ja Briaunys" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 7 July 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2022.

[8] "Esiliiga kuu parimateks valiti Henri Hanson ja Martin Klasen" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 10 August 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2022.

[9] "Esiliiga kuu parimate auhinnad läksid Elvasse ja Tartusse" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2022.

[10] "Esiliiga kuu parimateks valiti Mätas ja Midenbritt" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 23 October 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2022.

[11] "Esiliiga kuu parimateks valiti Kõrre ja Sadovski" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 4 November 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2022.

[12] "Esiliiga parimaks mängijaks valiti Kevin Mätas" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. Retrieved 15 January 2023.

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v t e Esiliiga seasons
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