2015 Meistriliiga
# 2015 Meistriliiga

The 2015 Meistriliiga, also known as A. Le Coq Premium Liiga for sponsorship reasons, was the 25th season of the Meistriliiga, the first level in the Estonian football system. The season started on 6 March 2015 and the final matchday took place on 7 November. Levadia, the defending champions, finished runner-up behind Flora, who won their tenth title.

## Teams

A total of ten teams will contest the league, including 8 sides from the 2014 season and two promoted teams from the 2014 Esiliiga. Tallinna Kalev were relegated from the Meistriliiga after three seasons and were replaced by Pärnu Linnameeskond, the best of independent teams in 2014 Esiliiga, Pärnu made their comeback to top flight after 6 seasons on lower levels. Lokomotiv were relegated after a single season, they were defeated in the relegation play-offs by Tulevik returning to Meistriliiga after four-year absence.

### Stadiums and locations

| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
| - | - | - | - |
| Flora | Tallinn | A. Le Coq Arena | 9,692 |
| Infonet | Tallinn | Sportland Arena | 540 |
| Levadia | Tallinn | Kadriorg Stadium | 5,000 |
| Narva Trans | Narva | Kreenholm Stadium | 1,065 |
| Nõmme Kalju | Tallinn | Hiiu Stadium | 300 |
| Paide Linnameeskond | Paide | Paide linnastaadion | 268 |
| Pärnu Linnameeskond | Pärnu | Pärnu Raeküla Stadium | 550 |
| Sillamäe Kalev | Sillamäe | Sillamäe Kalev Stadium | 800 |
| Tammeka | Tartu | Tartu Tamme Stadium | 1,750 |
| Tulevik | Viljandi | Viljandi linnastaadion | 1,068 |

### 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 | Norbert Hurt | Gert Kams | Nike | Tele2 |
| Infonet | Aleksandr Puštov | Andrei Kalimullin | Joma | Infonet |
| Levadia | Marko Kristal | Ingemar Teever | Adidas | Viimsi Keevitus |
| Narva Trans | Adyam Kuzyaev | Roman Nesterovski | Nike | Fama |
| Nõmme Kalju | Getúlio Fredo | Vitali Teleš | Adidas | Optibet |
| Paide Linnameeskond | Meelis Rooba | Andre Mägi | Nike | Verston |
| Pärnu Linnameeskond | Marko Lelov | Karl Palatu | Nike | Wendre |
| Sillamäe Kalev | Denis Ugarov | Andrei Sidorenkov | Uhlsport | Alexela |
| Tammeka | Indrek Koser | Jürgen Lorenz | Nike | Goldtime |
| Tulevik | Aivar Lillevere | Sander Post | Joma | Bestra |

### Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Replaced by | Date of appointment |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Nõmme Kalju | Igor Prins | Sacked | 2 December 2014 | Pre-season | Sergei Terehhov | 10 December 2014 |
| Pärnu Linnameeskond | Gert Olesk | Mutual consent | 22 December 2014 | Pre-season | Marko Lelov | 22 December 2014 |
| Narva Trans | Aleksei Yagudin | Mutual consent | 20 May 2015 | 7th | Nikolai Toštšev (caretaker) | 20 May 2015 |
| Sillamäe Kalev | Sergei Frantsev | Sacked | 29 May 2015 | 4th | Denis Ugarov | 29 May 2015 |
| Narva Trans | Nikolai Toštšev | Caretaker spell over | 6 July 2015 | 6th | Adyam Kuzyaev | 6 July 2015 |
| Nõmme Kalju | Sergei Terehhov | Resigned | 12 September 2015 | 3rd | Getúlio Fredo (caretaker) | 12 September 2015 |

### Player transfers

* Transfers made during the 2014–15 winter transfer window.
* Transfers made during the 2015 summer transfer window.

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Flora (C) | 36 | 27 | 3 | 6 | 72 | 24 | +48 | 84 | Qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round |
| 2 | Levadia | 36 | 22 | 10 | 4 | 78 | 32 | +46 | 76 | Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round |
| 3 | Nõmme Kalju | 36 | 22 | 5 | 9 | 69 | 36 | +33 | 71 | Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round |
| 4 | Infonet | 36 | 17 | 11 | 8 | 50 | 32 | +18 | 62 | Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round |
| 5 | Sillamäe Kalev | 36 | 17 | 8 | 11 | 63 | 43 | +20 | 59 | |
| 6 | Narva Trans | 36 | 14 | 7 | 15 | 50 | 46 | +4 | 49 | |
| 7 | Paide Linnameeskond | 36 | 9 | 6 | 21 | 50 | 73 | −23 | 33 | |
| 8 | Pärnu Linnameeskond | 36 | 6 | 8 | 22 | 38 | 87 | −49 | 26 | |
| 9 | Tammeka (O) | 36 | 7 | 4 | 25 | 39 | 96 | −57 | 25 | Qualification for the relegation play-offs |
| 10 | Tulevik (R) | 36 | 6 | 4 | 26 | 35 | 75 | −40 | 22 | Relegation to the Esiliiga |

* ↑ Flora Tallinn qualified for the Europa League first qualifying round by winning the 2015–16 Estonian Cup. However, since they already qualified for European competition based on their league position, the spot awarded to the cup winners was passed down the league.

### Relegation play-offs

At season's end Tammeka, the ninth place club, participated in a two-legged play-off with Tallinna Kalev, the runners-up (of the independent teams) of the 2015 Esiliiga, for the spot in next year's competition.

Tammeka won 4–2 on aggregate and retained their Meistriliiga spot for the 2016 season.

## Results

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

## Season statistics

### Top scorers

| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Ingemar Teever | Levadia | 24 |
| 2 | Yaroslav Kvasov | Sillamäe Kalev | 19 |
| 3 | Vjatšeslav Zahovaiko | Paide Linnameeskond | 17 |
| 4 | Ats Purje | Nõmme Kalju | 16 |
| 4 | Rauno Sappinen | Flora | 16 |
| 6 | Vitālijs Ziļs | Narva Trans | 13 |
| 7 | Vladislavs Kozlovs | Infonet | 12 |
| 8 | Taavi Laurits | Pärnu Linnameeskond | 11 |
| 8 | Siim Luts | Levadia | 11 |
| 8 | Tarmo Neemelo | Nõmme Kalju | 11 |
| 8 | Hidetoshi Wakui | Nõmme Kalju | 11 |

### Hat-tricks

| Player | For | Against | Result | Date |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Taavi Laurits | Pärnu Linnameeskond | Tammeka | 4–2 (H) | 14 March 2015 |
| Yaroslav Kvasov | Sillamäe Kalev | Pärnu Linnameeskond | 6–1 (A) | 10 April 2015 |
| Joonas Tamm | Tulevik | Paide Linnameeskond | 3–0 (A) | 2 May 2015 |
| Yaroslav Kvasov | Sillamäe Kalev | Tammeka | 5–0 (A) | 8 May 2015 |
| Vitālijs Ziļs | Narva Trans | Tammeka | 6–0 (H) | 2 June 2015 |
| Kaimar Saag | Levadia | Narva Trans | 3–1 (A) | 4 July 2015 |
| Ats Purje | Nõmme Kalju | Tulevik | 4–0 (H) | 20 July 2015 |
| Vladislavs $Kozlovs^4$ | Infonet | Tammeka | 4–2 (H) | 18 August 2015 |
| Ingemar Teever | Levadia | Paide Linnameeskond | 4–2 (A) | 28 August 2015 |
| Vjatšeslav Zahovaiko | Paide Linnameeskond | Tammeka | 4–0 (H) | 18 October 2015 |
| Vjatšeslav Zahovaiko | Paide Linnameeskond | Tulevik | 3–2 (A) | 24 October 2015 |

**Notes**

$^4$ Player scored 4 goals (H) – Home team (A) – Away team

## Awards

### Monthly awards

| Month | Manager of the Month | Manager of the Month | Player of the Month | Player of the Month |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Month | Manager | Club | Player | Club |
| March | Norbert Hurt | Flora | Ken Kallaste | Nõmme Kalju |
| April | Sergei Terehhov | Nõmme Kalju | Vjatšeslav Zahovaiko | Paide Linnameeskond |
| May | Aivar Lillevere | Tulevik | Ingemar Teever | Levadia |
| June | Marko Kristal | Levadia | Yevgeni Kharin | Infonet |
| July | Sergei Terehhov | Nõmme Kalju | Siim Luts | Levadia |
| August | Marko Kristal | Levadia | Ingemar Teever | Levadia |
| September | Adyam Kuzyaev | Narva Trans | Siim Luts | Levadia |
| October | Norbert Hurt | Flora | Rauno Sappinen | Flora |

### Annual awards

**Player of the Season**

Ingemar Teever was named Player of the Season.

**Goal of the Season**

Raido Roman's goal against Tammeka was chosen Goal of the Season.

