Tartu Vellko took all three points against Nõmme Kalju II in the Esiliiga A on Sunday, winning 4-2 in what proved to be a decisive Regular Season fixture. The visitors, already sitting first in the table, extended their lead while the hosts slipped further behind in their search for consistency.
S. Tragon opened the scoring early for the hosts at the ninth minute, but K. Laasner levelled from the penalty spot before half-time. I. Jabir put Vellko ahead just after the interval, and R. Salu doubled their advantage in the seventy-first minute. R. Roots added a fourth eight minutes from time, while Paul Ojavere's own goal in stoppage-time confirmed the result.
and here's the thing about the numbers — Vellko dominated possession at 0.63 to their opponents' 0.37, and the difference showed in the attack. They registered 83 attacks compared to 55, won 14 corners to 2, and tested the goalkeeper nine times on target. Kalju II managed five shots on target but also received a red card, which shifted the balance further.
to be fair, the hosts had been struggling before this match. They had lost five consecutive games, including heavy defeats against Flora II and Tallinn Kalev. Vellko, meanwhile, had ended a barren spell with that 4-2 victory over Levadia II just three days earlier and carried the momentum through.
by then the gap between the sides was clear. Vellko sit on 54 points from 26 games with 17 wins, while Kalju II remain tenth with 22 points after 16 defeats. This result keeps the leaders at the summit and leaves the hosts with a mountain to climb if they want to avoid the lower reaches of the table.
