# 2017 Esiliiga

The 2017 Esiliiga is the 27th season of the Esiliiga, second-highest Estonian league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1992. The season began on 2 March 2017.

## Teams

A total of 10 teams are contesting the league, including 6 sides from the 2016 season, one relegated from the 2016 Meistriliiga and three promoted from the 2016 Esiliiga B.

### Stadia

| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
| Elva | Elva | Elva linnastaadion | 600 |
| FCI Tallinn U21 | Tallinn | Infonet Lasnamäe Stadium | 500 |
| Flora U21 | Tallinn | Flora Lilleküla Stadium | 200 |
| Kuressaare | Kuressaare | Kuressaare linnastaadion | 1,000 |
| Levadia U21 | Tallinn | Maarjamäe Stadium | 30 |
| Maardu Linnameeskond | Maardu | Maardu linnastaadion | 500 |
| Santos | Tartu | Tartu Tamme Stadium | 1,500 |
| Tallinna Kalev | Tallinn | Kalev Keskstaadion | 11,500 |
| Tarvas | Rakvere | Rakvere linnastaadion | 1,829 |
| Welco | Tartu | Tartu Tamme Stadium | 1,500 |

### Personnel and kits

| Team | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
| Elva | Veiko Haan | Jürgen Kuresoo | Nike | Sportland |
| FCI Tallinn U21 | Aleksei Kapustin | Artjom Rõžkov | Joma | Infonet |
| Flora U21 | Joel Indermitte | Romet Ridamäe | Nike | Tele2 |
| Kuressaare | Sander Viira | Elari Valmas | Joma | Saaremaa Lihatööstus |
| Levadia U21 | Vladimir Vassiljev | Alex Roosalu | Adidas | Viimsi Keevitus |
| Maardu Linnameeskond | Andrei Borissov | Maksim Krivošein | Adidas | |
| Santos | Janar Sagim | Joonas Kartsep | Adidas | |
| Tallinna Kalev | Marko Pärnpuu | Ando Hausenberg | Nike | |
| Tarvas | Urmas Kirs | Taavi Trasberg | Nike | Aqva Hotel & Spa |
| Welco | Siim Valtna | Mikk Valtna | Nike | Liisi |

### Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
| Elva | Kaido Koppel | Signed by Tammeka | 29 November 2016 | Pre-season | Veiko Haan | 1 January 2017 |
| FCI Tallinn U21 | Sergei Bragin | Appointed as assistant manager of FCI Tallinn | 13 February 2017 | Pre-season | Aleksei Kapustin | 13 February 2017 |
| Santos | Siim Säesk | Mutual consent | 22 September 2017 | 8th | Janar Sagim | 22 September 2017 |

## Results
### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Maardu LM (C) | 36 | 24 | 5 | 7 | 92 | 44 | +48 | 77 | Promotion to the Meistriliiga |
| 2 | Tallinna Kalev (P) | 36 | 24 | 2 | 10 | 95 | 44 | +51 | 74 | Qualification for the promotion play-offs |
| 3 | Tarvas | 36 | 21 | 4 | 11 | 66 | 57 | +9 | 67 | |
| 4 | Flora U21 | 36 | 21 | 4 | 11 | 75 | 42 | +33 | 67 | |
| 5 | Kuressaare (P) | 36 | 17 | 4 | 15 | 70 | 63 | +7 | 55 | |
| 6 | Levadia U21 | 36 | 13 | 6 | 17 | 56 | 60 | −4 | 45 | |
| 7 | FCI U21 | 36 | 13 | 4 | 19 | 60 | 85 | −25 | 43 | |
| 8 | Santos | 36 | 13 | 4 | 19 | 75 | 74 | +1 | 43 | Qualification for the relegation play-offs |
| 9 | Elva | 36 | 9 | 2 | 25 | 40 | 90 | −50 | 29 | Relegation to Esiliiga B |
| 10 | Welco | 36 | 4 | 7 | 25 | 30 | 100 | −70 | 19 | Relegation to Esiliiga B |
* 1 2 3 Reserve teams are ineligible for promotion.

### Result tables
## Season statistics
### Top scorers

    As of matches played on 5 November 2017
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Vitali Gussev | Maardu LM | 38 |
| 2 | Alex Meinhard | Santos | 22 |
| 3 | Andre Järva | Kalev | 21 |
| 4 | Eduard Golovljov | FCI U21 | 20 |
| 4 | Karl Rudolf Õigus | Santos | 20 |
| 6 | Joonas Ljaš | Tarvas | 19 |
| 7 | Sander Laht | FC Kuressaare | 17 |
| 8 | Mario Stern | FC Kuressaare | 15 |
| 9 | Erik Sorga | Flora U21 | 13 |
| 9 | Artur Makarov | Kalev | 13 |

## Awards
### Monthly awards

| Month | Manager of the Month | Manager of the Month | Player of the Month | Player of the Month |
| Month | Manager | Club | Player | Club |
| March | Joel Indermitte | Flora U21 | Mario Stern | Kuressaare |
| April | Marko Pärnpuu | Tallinna Kalev | Nikita Brõlin | Maardu Linnameeskond |
| May | Aleksei Kapustin | FCI Tallinn U21 | Sergei Akimov | Tarvas |
| June | Urmas Kirs | Tarvas | Nikita Brõlin | Maardu Linnameeskond |
| July | Veiko Haan | Elva | Joonas Ljaš | Tarvas |
| August | Martti Pukk | Kuressaare | Andre Järva | Tallinna Kalev |
| September | Marko Pärnpuu | Tallinna Kalev | Vitali Gussev | Maardu Linnameeskond |
| October | Andrei Borissov | Maardu Linnameeskond | Henri Järvelaid | Flora U21 |

### Esiliiga Player of the Year

Vitali Gussev was named Esiliiga Player of the Year.