Tartu Kalev fell to Narva U21 in the Esiliiga B, losing 0-1 in a match that ended with both sides diminished. D. Geveller opened the scoring in the thirty-third minute, a goal that would prove decisive. G. Kruusla received a red card for Kalev in the fifty-fourth minute, leaving the hosts to finish with ten men against a side that had already established control.
To be fair, Narva U21 had been the better side for stretches before the goal, but the breakthrough came at a moment when Kalev's concentration lapsed. Geveller's finish was clean, and the visitors took a lead they would not surrender. By then, the match had shifted from a contest into a matter of managing a one-goal advantage under pressure.
The red card changed everything. Kruusla's dismissal left Kalev scrambling to avoid further damage, and Narva U21 saw out the remainder with a defensive discipline that belied their attacking intent earlier. The visitors finished strongly, though they had enough time to spare to recover any fatigue from the first half.
In the table, the result reinforces what the standings already suggested. Narva U21 sit second with fifty-one points from twenty-six games, while Kalev remain in sixth with forty-one points after twenty-seven matches. The gap between them is ten points, and this result widens it slightly in Narva's favour.
Kalev's recent form had shown resilience — a 3-0 win over Jõhvi Feniks and a 2-1 victory against Luunja — but the defeat to Narva U21 adds another layer to their struggles. Narva U21, meanwhile, extend their unbeaten run and keep pressure on the leaders. The final scoreline tells only part of the story.