Pärnu JK Vaprus and Nõmme United officially guaranteed their participation in the upcoming season of the Estonian Premium Liiga following the conclusion of the final round of the 2026 football campaign. Vaprus achieved this through a dominant 5-0 victory playing away against Tartu JK Tammeka, whereas Nõmme United secured a vital 1-1 draw facing FC Kuressaare. Consequently, Kuressaare was pushed into a two-legged relegation play-off battle against Viimsi, a team from the second tier.
Heading into their final fixture, Vaprus was well aware that securing a positive outcome could prove crucial in their fight to steer clear of the relegation play-offs. The visiting team produced a very strong beginning to the match in Tartu. Tristan Pajo, who was making his way back into the starting eleven after completing a suspension, opened the scoring in the eighth minute. His goal was the result of a smooth attacking sequence that featured contributions from both Limberg and Kapper. Vaprus managed to double their lead by the 28th minute when Marko Lipp successfully headed the ball into the net following a corner kick delivered by Pajo.
Just prior to the half-time interval, the visitors extended their advantage further. Tammeka’s goalkeeper, Lapa, could only parry a long-distance strike attempted by Välja, which enabled Magnus Villota to react with the fastest speed and put away the rebound. Any aspirations Tammeka held of staging a second-half comeback suffered a severe setback when Thomas Lisboa received his second yellow card of the game and was sent off for fouling Viidas, who had advanced into a dangerous attacking position.
Benefiting from an extra player on the pitch, Vaprus netted two additional goals near the end of the match. Kapper brought the score to 4-0 on the back of an impressive individual run combined with a precise delivery from Aloe, and Viidas finished off the scoring to cement the resounding win. This outcome guaranteed that Vaprus successfully bypassed the relegation play-offs and booked their spot in Estonia’s top division for another year. The official match details recorded Tartu JK Tammeka versus Pärnu JK Vaprus concluding at 0-5, with a half-time score of 0-3, and goals coming from Pajo in the 8th minute, Lipp in the 28th minute, Mag. Villota in the 45th minute, Kapper in the 81st minute, and Viidas in the 84th minute.
In the meantime, Kuressaare and Nõmme United faced off in a direct contest for survival, with both squads fully conscious of how critical it was to avoid a loss during this final round. The home side opened the game with high energy and generated multiple early scoring chances. However, United’s goalkeeper, Pürg, came up with crucial saves, including a brilliant stop to thwart Demidov and another that deflected an effort from Kivi directly onto the goalpost.
Regardless of the early pressure applied by Kuressaare, Nõmme United broke the deadlock against the run of play in the eighth minute. A delivery from Järvelaid created a scramble inside the penalty box, letting Läänelaid react the quickest to net his third league goal of the campaign. Kuressaare found an equalizer in the 28th minute thanks to Jürisoo, who displayed great tenacity to maneuver past a pair of defenders before converting from close range, bringing the score level at 1-1.
Throughout the second half, the hosts continuously searched for a winning goal. Jürisoo forced another stop out of Pürg, and Piil missed the target by a very narrow margin with a header late in the game. Nonetheless, United defended with great determination to capture the single point they required. This draw confirmed Nõmme United’s survival in the top flight, while Kuressaare ended up occupying the relegation play-off berth. They will now battle Viimsi over two legs, keeping their position in the 2027 Premium Liiga hanging in the balance. The official match details for FC Kuressaare versus Nõmme United recorded a 1-1 final score and a 1-1 half-time score, featuring goals by Jürisoo in the 28th minute and Läänelaid in the 8th minute.
SOURCE NAME: balticfootballnews.com
Source: balticfootballnews.com
