The 2012 season of the Esiliiga, the second level in the Estonian football system, is the twenty-third season in the league's history. The season officially began on 11 March 2012 and concluded on 4 November 2013.[1] The previous league champions Tallinna Kalev were promoted to the Meistriliiga while Legion and Warrior were relegated to the II Liiga. For this season those three teams were replaced by Rakvere Tarvas from II liiga East/North division and Tartu SK 10 and Tammeka II from II liiga West/South division.

Esiliiga
Season2012
ChampionsInfonet
PromotedInfonet
RelegatedTammeka II
Pärnu Linnameeskond
Lootus
Matches played180
Goals scored639 (3.55 per match)
Top goalscorerManucho (31 goals)
Biggest home winKiviõli Tamme Auto 8–0 Puuma
(8 September 2012)
Biggest away winTarvas 0–5 Levadia II
(29 July 2012)
Tammeka II 0–5 Levadia II
(26 August 2012)
Highest scoringLevadia II 8–2 Pärnu Linnameeskond
(19 August 2012)
2011
2013

Teams

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Stadiums and locations

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Team Location Stadium Capacity
Flora II Tallinn Sportland Arena 600
Infonet Tallinn Lasnamäe KHJ Stadium 1,000
Kiviõli Tamme Auto Kiviõli Kiviõli Stadium 255
Levadia II Tallinn Maarjamäe Stadium 1,000
Lootus Kohtla-Järve Kohtla-Järve Stadium 780
Pärnu Linnameeskond Pärnu Pärnu Kalev Stadium 1,900
Puuma Tallinn Lasnamäe SPK Stadium 666
Tammeka II Tartu Tamme Stadium 1,500
Tartu SK 10 Tartu Tamme Stadium 1,500
Tarvas Rakvere Rakvere linnastaadion 2,500

Personnel and kits

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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 II   Norbert Hurt   Ragnar Piir Nike KH Energia Konsult
Infonet   Aleksandr Puštov   Jevgeni Gurtšioglujants Joma Infonet
Kiviõli Tamme Auto   Erik Šteinberg   Dmitri Kirilov Adidas
Levadia II   Argo Arbeiter   Kristjan Tamme Adidas Viimsi Keevitus
Lootus   Anatoli Šuganov   Igor Tomaševski Uhlsport
Pärnu Linnameeskond   Kalev Pajula   Robert Kirss Uhlsport
Puuma   Dmitri Krasilnikov   Kert Haavistu Adidas
Tammeka II   Ivan O'Konnel-Bronin   Mikk Valtna Nike Mäe-kodu
Tartu SK 10   Andrei Borissov   Rodion Aleksejev Adidas
Tarvas   Reijo Kuusik   Alari Tovstik Joma Hotell Wesenbergh

League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Infonet (C, P) 36 26 5 5 94 33 +61 83 Promotion to Meistriliiga
2 Flora II[a] 36 20 9 7 66 32 +34 69
3 Tarvas 36 21 5 10 66 58 +8 68 Qualification for promotion play-offs
4 Tartu SK 10 36 15 9 12 65 58 +7 54
5 Levadia II 36 15 8 13 77 56 +21 53
6 Kiviõli Tamme Auto 36 12 8 16 78 83 −5 44
7 Puuma 36 12 7 17 55 61 −6 43
8 Tammeka II[a] (O) 36 10 7 19 55 83 −28 37 Qualification for relegation play-offs
9 Pärnu Linnameeskond (R) 36 9 9 18 43 72 −29 36 Relegation to Esiliiga B
10 Lootus (R) 36 6 1 29 40 103 −63 19
Source: Estonian Football Association (in Estonian)
Rules for classification: Points; Least withdrawals or annulled matches; Overall wins; Head-to-head points; Head-to-head goal difference; Goal difference; Goals scored. If two or more teams on the top have the same number of points by the end of the season, the aforementioned rules will not apply and additional game(s) will be played to determine the champions.
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Reserve teams are ineligible for promotion.

Promotion play-off

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At season's end, the runners-up of the 2013 Esiliiga will participate in a two-legged play-off with the ninth place club of the 2013 Meistriliiga for the spot in next year's competition.

Tarvas1–2Tallinna Kalev
Hang   23' vana.jalgpall.ee/news.php?st=style_m.css&news_id=4463 Tomson   70'
Kase   74'
Tallinna Kalev1–0Tarvas
Ratnikov   38' vana.jalgpall.ee/news.php?st=style_fp.css&news_id=4478

Relegation play-off

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Tulevik1–1Tammeka II
Kübar   48' vana.jalgpall.ee/lprotocol.php?st=&proto_id=46123&b=%C3%9Cleminek.meeste Peedo   22'
Tammeka II1–2Tulevik
Paju   59' vana.jalgpall.ee/lprotocol.php?st=&proto_id=46139&b=%C3%9Cleminek.meeste Kübar   76'
Roman   117'

Season statistics

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Top scorers

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Rank Player Team Goals[2]
1   Manucho Infonet 31
2   Maksim Lipin Infonet 21
  Tõnis Starkopf Kiviõli Tamme Auto
4   Nikita Koger Levadia II 14
  Joonas Ljaš Tarvas
  Aleksei Mamontov Tartu SK 10
7   Henri Hang Tarvas 13
  Georgi Ivanov Tammeka II/Tartu SK 10
9   Marten Saarlas Levadia II 12
  Marek Šatov Kiviõli Tamme Auto

Awards

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Monthly awards

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Month Manager of the Month Player of the Month
Manager Club Player Club
March[3]   Norbert Hurt Flora II   Sander Susi Tarvas
April[3]   Aleksandr Puštov Infonet   Aleksandr Pruttšenko Tartu SK 10
May[3]   Argo Arbeiter Levadia II   Aleksandr Tarassenkov Kiviõli Tamme Auto
June[3]   Aleksandr Puštov Infonet   Maksim Lipin Infonet
July[3]   Reijo Kuusik Tarvas   Argo Aava Tarvas
August[3]   Aleksandr Puštov Infonet   Georgi Ivanov Tartu SK 10
September[3]   Aleksandr Puštov Infonet   Tõnis Starkopf Kiviõli Tamme Auto
October[3]   Kalev Pajula Pärnu Linnameeskond   Sander Lepik Flora II

Esiliiga Player of the Year

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Manucho was named Esiliiga Player of the Year.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "EL MÄNGUDE KALENDER (2012)" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  2. ^ "EL VÄRAVALÖÖJATE EDETABEL (2012)" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "Meistriliiga oktoobri parimad on Kristal ja Beglarishvili" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.