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. 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.

Teams

Stadiums and locations

2012 Esiliiga is located in Estonia
Locations of the 2012 Esiliiga teams
TeamLocationStadiumCapacity
Flora IITallinnSportland Arena600
InfonetTallinnLasnamäe KHJ Stadium1,000
Kiviõli Tamme AutoKiviõliKiviõli Stadium255
Levadia IITallinnMaarjamäe Stadium1,000
LootusKohtla-JärveKohtla-Järve Stadium780
Pärnu LinnameeskondPärnuPärnu Kalev Stadium1,900
PuumaTallinnLasnamäe SPK Stadium666
Tammeka IITartuTamme Stadium1,500
Tartu SK 10TartuTamme Stadium1,500
TarvasRakvereRakvere linnastaadion2,500

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.

TeamManagerCaptainKit manufacturerShirt sponsor
Flora IIEstonia Norbert HurtEstonia Ragnar PiirNikeKH Energia Konsult
InfonetEstonia Aleksandr PuštovEstonia Jevgeni GurtšioglujantsJomaInfonet
Kiviõli Tamme AutoEstonia Erik ŠteinbergEstonia Dmitri KirilovAdidas
Levadia IIEstonia Argo ArbeiterEstonia Kristjan TammeAdidasViimsi Keevitus
LootusEstonia Anatoli ŠuganovEstonia Igor TomaševskiUhlsport
Pärnu LinnameeskondEstonia Kalev PajulaEstonia Robert KirssUhlsport
PuumaRussia Dmitri KrasilnikovEstonia Kert HaavistuAdidas
Tammeka IIEstonia Ivan O'Konnel-BroninEstonia Mikk ValtnaNikeMäe-kodu
Tartu SK 10Estonia Andrei BorissovEstonia Rodion AleksejevAdidas
TarvasEstonia Reijo KuusikEstonia Alari TovstikJomaHotell Wesenbergh

League table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsPromotion or relegation
1Infonet (C, P)3626559433+6183Promotion to Meistriliiga
2Flora II3620976632+3469
3Tarvas36215106658+868Qualification for promotion play-offs
4Tartu SK 1036159126558+754
5Levadia II36158137756+2153
6Kiviõli Tamme Auto36128167883−544
7Puuma36127175561−643
8Tammeka II (O)36107195583−2837Qualification for relegation play-offs
9Pärnu Linnameeskond (R)3699184372−2936Relegation to Esiliiga B
10Lootus (R)36612940103−6319

Promotion play-off

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

Relegation play-off

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

Season statistics

Top scorers

RankPlayerTeamGoals
1Ivory Coast ManuchoInfonet31
2Estonia Maksim LipinInfonet21
Estonia Tõnis StarkopfKiviõli Tamme Auto
4Estonia Nikita KogerLevadia II14
Estonia Joonas LjašTarvas
Estonia Aleksei MamontovTartu SK 10
7Estonia Henri HangTarvas13
Estonia Georgi IvanovTammeka II/Tartu SK 10
9Estonia Marten SaarlasLevadia II12
Estonia Marek ŠatovKiviõli Tamme Auto

Awards

Monthly awards

MonthManager of the MonthPlayer of the Month
ManagerClubPlayerClub
MarchEstonia Norbert HurtFlora IIEstonia Sander SusiTarvas
AprilEstonia Aleksandr PuštovInfonetEstonia Aleksandr PruttšenkoTartu SK 10
MayEstonia Argo ArbeiterLevadia IIEstonia Aleksandr TarassenkovKiviõli Tamme Auto
JuneEstonia Aleksandr PuštovInfonetEstonia Maksim LipinInfonet
JulyEstonia Reijo KuusikTarvasEstonia Argo AavaTarvas
AugustEstonia Aleksandr PuštovInfonetEstonia Georgi IvanovTartu SK 10
SeptemberEstonia Aleksandr PuštovInfonetEstonia Tõnis StarkopfKiviõli Tamme Auto
OctoberEstonia Kalev PajulaPärnu LinnameeskondEstonia Sander LepikFlora II

Esiliiga Player of the Year

Manucho was named Esiliiga Player of the Year.

See also