Tartu secured a 3-0 victory against Pärnu II in the Esiliiga on 4 October 2026. The away side took all three points from their first fixture of the season. Pärnu II, making their competitive return, could not trouble their opponents. The result leaves both teams with zero points in the standings.
By then the picture was clear enough. Pärnu II sit ninth after one defeat, while Tartu occupy seventh place with a game to spare. The visitors had not played since March, and suddenly they were back on the pitch. To be fair, the gap in minutes played showed through.
And here's the thing — we had backed the visitors at 68 per cent confidence. The prediction came through, not through any tactical masterclass but through a simple mismatch of preparation. Tartu had been away from the league for months, yet Pärnu II had only just started their campaign.
The home side's recent record tells its own story. They lost 3-0 to Leader on 3 October, and before that three consecutive 3-0 defeats in March against Eesti Maakolikli and Tallinn University. Tartu, meanwhile, had mixed results in February and March — beating Pärnu II 3-1 in February before losing twice to Kiili and Tallinn University.
The scoreline reflects what the form suggested. Pärnu II have failed to score in five straight matches, and Tartu kept a clean sheet despite their long absence. Neither team has moved up or down the table in any meaningful way — the standings remain as they were, with both sides still searching for their first victory.