Kuressaare claimed a crucial 3-1 home victory over Narva Trans in the Premium Liiga Matchday 26, strengthening their chances of avoiding relegation while leaving Trans in an increasingly difficult position near the bottom of the table.
The importance of the match was clear before kick-off. Kuressaare entered the game eight points ahead of Trans, with the two sides still due to meet twice more after this round. Trans therefore had a major opportunity to close the gap, but their poor recent record in this fixture continued, with Kuressaare having now won 11 of the last 17 meetings between the clubs.
Kuressaare made one enforced change to their starting line-up, with Sten Prunn replacing the suspended Marco Lukka. Trans made two changes, bringing experienced midfielder Elysee into the team and starting Sergei Kondrattsev in central defence.
The opening stages were cautious, although Kuressaare created the better chances. Visse was presented with an excellent opportunity after a defensive mistake by Kondrattsev, but his touch let him down inside the box. Trans responded through Gero, who fired over from a promising position after a good move down the right.
Kuressaare continued to threaten and were eventually rewarded in the 41st minute. Kondrattsev brought down Jürisoo near the edge of the penalty area, and Jürisoo took responsibility for the resulting free-kick, driving the ball inside the near post to make it 1-0.
The hosts struck again just before half-time. Deivid Andreas delivered a corner to the far post, where Piil headed the ball back across goal and Sander Sinilaid finished from close range to give Kuressaare a 2-0 lead at the break.
Trans made changes at half-time in an attempt to alter the game and started the second period with more intent. Their pressure almost brought an immediate reward when Kuressaare goalkeeper Karl-Romet Nõmm produced a double save following a set-piece, first keeping out a header and then denying Campagna on the rebound.
Kuressaare still looked dangerous on the break and came close to a third goal when Piil hit the post from a tight angle following a long throw. Trans then finally found a way back into the match in the 64th minute. Two substitutes combined, with Škinjov delivering the cross and Agaptšev heading accurately into the net to reduce the deficit to 2-1.
The visitors pushed higher after the goal, but their pressure lacked enough quality in the final third. Kuressaare continued to create the clearer opportunities and should have scored again when Piil was left completely free at the far post from another Andreas delivery, only to miss from close range.
The decisive goal came in the 89th minute. Andero Kivi found Aleksandr Demidov, who broke through the Trans defensive line and finished calmly to make it 3-1 and end any hopes of a late comeback.
Kuressaare saw out the final minutes to secure a deserved victory, taking a significant step towards preserving their Premium Liiga status. For Trans, the defeat leaves their survival hopes increasingly fragile as the gap to Kuressaare widens.
Kuressaare next league matchis on Wednesday when they will travel to Tallinn to take on leaders Levadia, while Narva on Tuesday will host Flora.
FC Kuressaare vs JK Narva Trans – 3-1 (2-0)
Goals: Jürisoo 41′, Sinilaid 44′, Demidov 89′ | Agaptšev 64′
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  FCI Levadia |
24 | 18 | 5 | 1 | 64 | 20 | 44 | 59 |
| 2 |  FC Flora |
25 | 15 | 0 | 10 | 49 | 32 | 17 | 45 |
| 3 |  Nõmme Kalju |
25 | 13 | 5 | 7 | 45 | 22 | 23 | 44 |
| 4 |  Paide |
24 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 40 | 31 | 9 | 42 |
| 5 |  Tammeka |
24 | 12 | 2 | 10 | 31 | 35 | -4 | 38 |
| 6 |  Harju |
25 | 10 | 1 | 14 | 36 | 41 | -5 | 31 |
| 7 |  Pärnu Vaprus |
25 | 8 | 5 | 12 | 33 | 46 | -13 | 29 |
| 8 |  Kuressaare |
26 | 8 | 4 | 14 | 30 | 42 | -12 | 28 |
| 9 |  Nõmme United |
26 | 8 | 2 | 16 | 42 | 60 | -18 | 26 |
| 10 |  Narva Trans |
26 | 5 | 2 | 19 | 19 | 60 | -41 | 17 |
