Paide moved to the top of the Premium liiga after beating Nõmme Kalju 1-0 at home to hand the visitors their first league defeat of the season.
The match started evenly but without clear chances for either side, before Kalju grew into the first half and saw more of the ball. Much of their threat came from set-pieces, but Paide’s goalkeeper Ebrima Jarju dealt comfortably with any danger.
Second half started with Kalju creating chances, albeit mostly from very tight angles. Kristjan Kask’s first attempt was blocked by Gerdo Juhkam and the second had gone into the side-netting. Paide then took control and when to squeeze the visitors. The deciding goal came as Oskar Hõim exchanged passes with Daniel Cabral in midfield before clipping a long ball into the area, where substitute Anier brought it under control and set up Romet Nigula to finish from close to the penalty spot in the 67th minute.
Paide then held on to the lead comfortably even as the game descended into quite a scrappy and physical affair towards the end.
“We had control in the first half, we were patient, but we didn’t move the ball enough in the attacking areas,” Kalju’s head coach Uku Kõrre told Soccernet TV after the game. “Paide sat in a block and we tried to find solutions, but in the final third we didn’t create enough danger. We went into the second half with a good feeling, but that’s where the match stayed. I felt we didn’t take a step forward.”
The result leaves Paide and Kalju level on 16 points, but Paide lead the table thanks to the head-to-head win. FCI Levadia sit a point behind in third and are now the league’s only unbeaten side.
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Source: https://soccernet.ee/artikkel/luup-peale-anier-vajas-74-sekundit-et-kalju-liidrikohalt-tougata-ja-paidega-tippu-kerkida
