The 2018 Esiliiga was the 28th season of the Esiliiga, the second-highest Estonian league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1992. The season began on 1 March 2018 and concluded on 11 November 2018. Defending champions Maardu Linnameeskond won their second Esiliiga title.
Teams Ten teams competed in the league – the seven teams from the previous season and the three teams promoted from the Esiliiga B. The promoted teams were Nõmme Kalju U21 (returning to the Esiliiga after a one-year absence), Tallinna Kalev U21 and Keila (both teams playing in the Esiliiga for the first time ever). They replaced Tallinna Kalev, Kuressaare (both teams promoted to the Meistriliiga) and FCI Tallinn U21 (merged with Levadia U21).
Stadiums and locations
TeamLocationStadiumCapacityElvaElvaElva linnastaadionFCI Levadia U21TallinnMaarjamäe StadiumFlora U21TallinnSportland Arena KeilaKeilaKeila Stadium Maardu LinnameeskondMaarduMaardu linnastaadionNõmme Kalju U21TallinnHiiu StadiumSantosTartuTartu Tamme StadiumTallinna Kalev U21TallinnKalev Keskstaadion's artificial turfTarvasRakvereRakvere linnastaadionWelcoTartuTartu Tamme Stadium
Personnel and kits Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsorElva Veiko Haan Jürgen KuresooNikeSportlandFCI Levadia U21 Vladimir Vassiljev Moorits VeeringAdidasViimsi KeevitusFlora U21 Ats Sillaste Markkus SeppikNikeTele2Keila Richard Barnwell Kermo KiilerAdidasHole In OneMaardu Linnameeskond Andrei Borissov Ilja ZelentsovAdidasNõmme Kalju U21 Kristen Viikmäe Marcus SuurväliAdidashelp.eeSantos Janar Sagim Joonas KartsepAdidasTallinna Kalev U21 Daniel Meijel Andi KivirandNikeCoolbetTarvas Tarmo Rebane Kaarel SaarNikeAqva Hotel & SpaWelco Yusuf Erdoğan Mikk ValtnaNikeLiisi
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointmentWelco Siim Valtna Mutual consent7 November 2017Pre-season Yusuf Erdoğan8 December 2017Flora U21 Joel Indermitte 10 November 2017 Ats Sillaste 10 November 2017Tarvas Urmas Kirs 30 November 2017 Tarmo Rebane 30 November 2017Nõmme Kalju U21 Erko Saviauk31 December 2017 Valeri Bondarenko 1 January 2018Keila Tiit Tikenberg 6 January 2018 Richard Barnwell 6 January 2018Nõmme Kalju U21 Valeri Bondarenko7 August 201810th Frank Bernhardt 7 August 2018Nõmme Kalju U21 Frank Bernhardt ResignedSeptember 201810th Kristen Viikmäe September 2018
League table
Play-offs Promotion play-offs First leg
Second leg
Kuressaare won 2–0 on aggregate and retained their place in the 2019 Meistriliiga.
Relegation play-offs First leg
Second leg
Järve won 3–2 on aggregate and were promoted to the 2019 Esiliiga.
Results
First half of the season
Second half of the season
Season statistics Top scorers RankPlayerClubGoals1 Vitali GussevMaardu Linnameeskond432 Ilja ZelentsovMaardu Linnameeskond223 Erik UtgofFCI Levadia U21204 Nikita BrõlinMaardu Linnameeskond195 Aleksandr ŠapovalovFlora U2116 Erik SorgaFlora U217 Jürgen KuresooElva13 Otto-Robert LippFlora U219 Vladislav OgorodnikMaardu Linnameeskond12 Karl Rudolf ÕigusSantos Siim RannamäeTarvas Vlasiy SinyavskiyNõmme Kalju U21 Mikk ValtnaWelco
Awards Monthly awards MonthManager of the MonthPlayer of the MonthManagerClubPlayerClubMarch Andrei BorissovMaardu Linnameeskond Erik SorgaFlora U21April Tarmo RebaneTarvas Mikk ValtnaWelcoMay Veiko HaanElva Aleksandr ŠapovalovFlora U21June/July Andrei BorissovMaardu Linnameeskond Jürgen KuresooElvaAugust Vladimir VassiljevFCI Levadia U21 Vladislav OgorodnikMaardu LinnameeskondSeptember Veiko HaanElva Nikita BrõlinOctober Mattias MännilaanFlora U21
Esiliiga Player of the Year Vitali Gussev was named Esiliiga Player of the Year.
See also 2017–18 Estonian Cup 2018–19 Estonian Cup 2018 Meistriliiga 2018 Esiliiga B
References