Paide win Estonia's top domestic football trophy for first time ever
Top-flight Estonian football team Paide Linnameeskond have won the Tipner Trophy, the main domestic cup competition, for the first time ever, after beating Nõmme Kalju 1:0 in extra time.
The result was also revenge for the central Estonian club; in 2015, the only other time they reached the Tipner Trophy final, it was Nõmme who defeated them – the only time they have won the cup also.
Paide had already had to play two goalless halves of extra time in their semi-final encounter at FC Flora, but went through on penalties 5:4, while Nõmme beat JK Narva Trans 1:0 to reach the final, at the A. Le Coq Arena in Tallinn (see gallery above).
The final was fairly evenly matched in the first half, ERR's Sports portal reports, with both sides being cautious and creating few opportunities. While Kalju were on the offensive more in the second half, Paide marshaled their defense adequately to send the game to extra-time, the first time this has happened in the Tipner Trophy for three years.
While Paide nearly opened their account five minutes into extra-time after Nõmme's 'keeper, Marko Meetis, brought down midfielder Sergei Mošnikov in the penalty area, Meetis atoned for this sin by saving the spot kick, taken by Dutch striker Deabeas Owusu-Sekyere.
A few minutes later, however, Paide hit home as an unmarked defender Karl Mööl found winger Siim Luts, who tapped the ball in for the lone goal of the game. Nõmme were given a glimmer of hope six minutes before the end with a free kick, but the Paide wall kept it out.
Nõmme Kalju have now reached the Tipner Trophy final six times, winning only once.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte