# 2022 Esiliiga

The 2022 Esiliiga was the 32nd season of the Esiliiga, the second tier of Estonian football. The season started on 3 March 2022 and concluded on 13 November 2022.

## Teams
### Stadiums and locations

| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
| Alliance | Kohtla-Järve | Kohtla-Järve Sports Centre Stadium | 150 |
| Elva | Elva | Elva linnastaadion | 30 |
| FCI Levadia U21 | Tallinn | Maarjamäe Stadium | 30 |
| Flora U21 | Tallinn | Lilleküla training ground I | 150 |
| Harju | Laagri | Laagri Stadium | 40 |
| Nõmme United | Tallinn | Männiku Stadium | 50 |
| Paide Linnameeskond U21 | Paide | Paide linnastaadion | 500 |
| Pärnu Jalgpalliklubi | Pärnu | Pärnu Rannastaadion | 1,501 |
| Tulevik | Viljandi | Viljandi linnastaadion | 384 |
| Viimsi | Haabneeme | Viimsi Stadium | 800 |

### Personnel and kits

| Team | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
| Alliance | Erik Šteinberg | Erik Kruglov | Adidas | Viru Keemia Grupp |
| Elva | Veiko Haan | Markus Lokk | Nike | Sportland |
| FCI Levadia U21 | Artjom Artjunin | Andres Järve | Adidas | Admirals, Viimsi Keevitus |
| Flora U21 | Taavi Viik | Karl Orren | Nike | Optibet |
| Harju | Victor Silva | Andre Järva | Adidas | Enemat |
| Nõmme United | Martin Klasen | Oliver Ani | Uhlsport | Apollo |
| Paide Linnameeskond U21 | Meelis Rooba | Rasmus Kallas | Nike | Exmet, Verston |
| Pärnu Jalgpalliklubi | Igor Prins | Mirko Mardiste | Hummel | Savi |
| Tulevik | Indrek Ilves | Gustav-Hendrik Seeder | Joma | Airok |
| Viimsi | Ivo Lehtmets | Oskar Jõgi | Joma | Assa Abloy |

### Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in the table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
| Tulevik | Sander Post | Signed by Flora | 18 December 2021 | Pre-season | Indrek Ilves | 8 January 2022 |
| Flora U21 | Ats Sillaste | Signed by Paide Linnameeskond | 21 December 2021 | Pre-season | Taavi Viik | 1 January 2022 |
| Paide Linnameeskond U21 | Erki Kesküla | Mutual consent | 31 December 2021 | Pre-season | Meelis Rooba | 1 January 2022 |
| FCI Levadia U21 | Robert Sadovski | Mutual consent | 11 January 2022 | Pre-season | Ivan Stojković | 11 January 2022 |
| FCI Levadia U21 | Ivan Stojković | Promoted to FCI Levadia | 1 July 2022 | 1st | Nikita Andreev | 1 July 2022 |
| FCI Levadia U21 | Nikita Andreev | Promoted to FCI Levadia | 22 September 2022 | 3rd | Artjom Artjunin | 22 September 2022 |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Harju (C, P) | 36 | 24 | 4 | 8 | 97 | 46 | +51 | 76 | Promotion to Meistriliiga |
| 2 | FCI Levadia U21 | 36 | 21 | 5 | 10 | 85 | 45 | +40 | 68 | Reserve teams are not eligible to be promoted to the Meistriliiga |
| 3 | Elva | 36 | 20 | 6 | 10 | 76 | 52 | +24 | 66 | Qualification for promotion play-offs |
| 4 | Viimsi | 36 | 20 | 3 | 13 | 76 | 40 | +36 | 63 | |
| 5 | Flora U21 | 36 | 19 | 5 | 12 | 88 | 52 | +36 | 62 | Reserve teams are not eligible to be promoted to the Meistriliiga |
| 6 | Nõmme United | 36 | 18 | 6 | 12 | 79 | 56 | +23 | 60 | |
| 7 | Paide Linnameeskond U21 | 36 | 17 | 1 | 18 | 75 | 88 | −13 | 52 | Reserve teams are not eligible to be promoted to the Meistriliiga |
| 8 | Alliance (O) | 36 | 8 | 3 | 25 | 29 | 105 | −76 | 27 | Qualification for relegation play-offs |
| 9 | Tulevik (R) | 36 | 6 | 5 | 25 | 28 | 102 | −74 | 23 | Relegation to Esiliiga B |
| 10 | Pärnu Jalgpalliklubi (R) | 36 | 4 | 8 | 24 | 30 | 77 | −47 | 20 | Relegation to Esiliiga B |

## Relegation play-offs

Alliance won 4–3 on aggregate.

## Season statistics
### Top scorers

| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Egert Õunapuu | Nõmme United | 36 |
| 2 | Andre Järva | Harju | 20 |
| 3 | Roman Sobtšenko | Harju | 17 |
| 4 | Nikita Dronov | FCI Levadia U21 | 16 |
| 4 | Bubacarr Tambedou | Paide Linnameeskond U21 | 16 |
| 6 | Andre Paju | Elva | 15 |
| 6 | Aleksandr Šapovalov | Flora U21 | 15 |
| 8 | Andreas Kiivit | Flora U21 | 14 |
| 9 | Devid Lehter | Elva | 13 |
| 9 | Ebrima Singhateh | Paide Linnameeskond U21 | 13 |
| 9 | Ken-Marten Tammeveski | Viimsi | 13 |

### Hat-tricks

| Player | For | Against | Result | Date |
| Ebrima Singhateh | Paide Linnameeskond U21 | Tulevik | 5–3 (A) | 7 March 2022 |
| Egert Õunapuu | Nõmme United | Tulevik | 7–1 (A) | 19 March 2022 |
| Karl Anton Sõerde | Viimsi | Elva | 8–1 (H) | 17 April 2022 |
| Andreas Kiivit | Flora U21 | Nõmme United | 3–2 (H) | 15 May 2022 |
| Andre Järva$^4$ | Harju | Paide Linnameeskond U21 | 5–0 (H) | 19 May 2022 |
| Nevil Krimm | Viimsi | Alliance | 5–0 (H) | 19 May 2022 |
| Andreas Kiivit | Flora U21 | Paide Linnameeskond U21 | 6–0 (A) | 26 May 2022 |
| Roman Sobtšenko | Harju | Elva | 4–2 (H) | 28 May 2022 |
| Ebrima Singhateh | Paide Linnameeskond U21 | Tulevik | 7–1 (H) | 4 June 2022 |
| Bubacarr Tambedou | Paide Linnameeskond U21 | Pärnu Jalgpalliklubi | 6–1 (A) | 19 June 2022 |
| Nikita Dronov | FCI Levadia U21 | Flora U21 | 4–1 (H) | 30 June 2022 |
| Ken-Marten Tammeveski | Viimsi | Alliance | 6–1 (H) | 16 July 2022 |
| Andre Paju | Elva | Tulevik | 9–0 (H) | 6 August 2022 |
| Devid Lehter$^4$ | Elva | Alliance | 4–0 (H) | 20 August 2022 |
| Gregor Lehtmets | Viimsi | Paide Linnameeskond U21 | 5–0 (H) | 22 August 2022 |
| Egert Õunapuu | Nõmme United | Ida-Virumaa FC Alliance | 4–0 (A) | 1 September 2022 |
| Egert Õunapuu$^4$ | Nõmme United | Tulevik | 7–0 (A) | 10 September 2022 |
| Silver Õismets | Pärnu Jalgpalliklubi | Alliance | 6–0 (H) | 17 September 2022 |
| Aleksandr Šapovalov$^4$ | Flora U21 | Alliance | 8–0 (H) | 2 October 2022 |
| Egert Õunapuu | Nõmme United | Alliance | 4–1 (H) | 29 October 2022 |
| Ken-Marten Tammeveski | Viimsi | Pärnu Jalgpalliklubi | 7–1 (A) | 30 October 2022 |
| Karl Rudolf Õigus | FCI Levadia U21 | Paide Linnameeskond U21 | 5–0 (H) | 31 October 2022 |
| Egert Õunapuu | Nõmme United | Paide Linnameeskond U21 | 5–0 (A) | 5 November 2022 |

#### Notes

$^4$ Player scored 4 goals (H) – Home team (A) – Away team

## 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 | Tauri Viik | Flora U21 | Egert Õunapuu | Nõmme United |
| April | Meelis Rooba | Paide Linnameeskond U21 | Murad Velijev | FCI Levadia U21 |
| May | Ivan Stojković | FCI Levadia U21 | Roman Sobtšenko | Harju |
| June/July | Veiko Haan | Elva | Karl Kruus | Elva |
| August | Victor Silva | Harju | Devid Lehter | Elva |
| September | Martin Klasen | Nõmme United | Egert Õunapuu | Nõmme United |
| October | Victor Silva | Harju | Ken-Marten Tammeveski | Viimsi |

### Esiliiga Player of the Season

Egert Õunapuu was named Esiliiga Player of the Year.