Top of the table Tartu Welco moved a point clear of second-placed Viims with a hard-fought 2-0 win at the Regular Season 30 fixture on Wednesday. The visitors took the lead after half an hour through H. Ernits, but it was the second half that belonged to them, even though the scoreline suggested otherwise. By then the hosts had spent most of their time on the ball without creating much that worried the defence.
Viims dominated possession at 65 per cent and launched 109 attacks compared to Welco's 67, yet the conversion rate told a different story. The hosts managed only three shots on target all evening, while Welco, with less than a third of the ball, kept five on target. To be fair, the visitors did not need much; they gave up the ball and hit them on the break when it mattered.
Ernits gave the hosts hope in the 35th minute, but Welco responded with composure rather than panic. The second goal arrived late, in the 89th minute, when the visitors finally broke through after a patient period of pressure. It was enough to seal the three points and tighten things up at the summit.
On the stats sheet, Viims won 13 corners to Welco's one, but the difference in quality of chances was stark. The hosts registered seven shots off target alongside their three on target, while Welco's single off-target effort was accompanied by five on target. The possession figures cannot hide the fact that Welco were more efficient with what they had.
Welco move to 59 points from 29 games, while Viims remain on 50 after their 15 wins and five draws. The visitors extend a run that includes three straight games without defeat, whereas Viims have not won since their 3-1 victory over Welco earlier in the season. A fourth straight win would have lifted them, but the hosts paid for a sloppy opening.