FCI Levadia Tallinn showed resilience and championship character in the 10th round of the Premium Liiga, coming from behind to secure a 2-1 away victory over FC Kuressaare and reclaim their position at the top of the Estonian top flight.
The visitors arrived in Kuressaare full of confidence after their dominant 7-0 win over Narva Trans, fielding the same starting XI. Kuressaare, meanwhile, made a forced change due to suspension, but started brightly and proved difficult to break down.
Despite Levadia controlling possession early on, it was the home side who struck first in the 18th minute. A costly mistake from Levadia goalkeeper Karl Andre Vallner gifted the opportunity, as his failed clearance fell kindly to Rasmus Talu, who calmly set up Gregor Rõivassepp for a simple finish into an empty net. Suddenly, the league leaders were trailing.
Levadia responded with sustained pressure for the remainder of the first half, creating several dangerous moments. Maksimilian Skvortsov tested goalkeeper Ott Nõmm, while Brent Lepistu and Mark Roosnupp both came close, including one effort that rattled the post and rolled agonizingly along the goal line. Still, Kuressaare held firm and took their 1-0 lead into halftime.
The second half saw Levadia intensify their attacking efforts, and the breakthrough finally came in the 51st minute. A misplaced pass from Kuressaare allowed Levadia to pounce in midfield, with Victory Iboro intercepting and quickly feeding Skvortsov, who laid the ball off to Bubacarr Tambedou. The league’s top scorer made no mistake, firing a first-time shot into the top corner to level the score at 1-1.
With momentum fully on their side, Levadia continued to push forward and were rewarded again in the 67th minute. A handball just outside the box gave them a dangerous free-kick opportunity, and Mihkel Ainsalu stepped up to deliver, curling a precise low strike past Nõmm and into the corner to complete the turnaround.
Kuressaare refused to give in and had chances to equalize late on, with their direct play and quick transitions causing problems. However, Levadia’s defense held firm in the closing stages, even as the game became increasingly chaotic and stretched.
In the end, it was a hard-earned victory for Levadia, who once again demonstrated their ability to grind out results even when not at their best. The win sees them return to the top of the table.
Levadia will look to continue their strong run next week when they host Harju JK Laagri, while Kuressaare aim to bounce back a day earlier with an away trip to Tartu JK Tammeka.
FC Kuressaare vs FCI Levadia – 1-2 (1-0)
Goals: Rõivassepp 18′ | Tambedou 51′ Ainsalu 67′
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  FCI Levadia |
10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 26 | 8 | 18 | 24 |
| 2 |  Nõmme Kalju |
10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 22 | 6 | 16 | 22 |
| 3 |  FC Flora |
10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 21 | 12 | 9 | 18 |
| 4 |  Paide |
10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 12 | 5 | 17 |
| 5 |  Harju |
10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 17 | -3 | 16 |
| 6 |  Nõmme United |
10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 23 | 24 | -1 | 13 |
| 7 |  Tammeka |
10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 17 | -6 | 10 |
| 8 |  Pärnu Vaprus |
10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 21 | -10 | 10 |
| 9 |  Kuressaare |
10 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 11 | 19 | -8 | 9 |
| 10 |  Narva Trans |
10 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 9 | 29 | -20 | 6 |
