FC Flora through to Tipner Trophy final
Meistriliiga team Tallinna FC Flora have booked their place in the domestic cup final after beating JK Narva Trans 1–0 on Tuesday.
The first Evald Tipner Trophy semifinal saw a first half largely controlled by Flora in terms of possession, even though the more dangerous chances fell to Trans. The most breathtaking moment came around the middle of the half, when Narva's Nigerian striker Ahmad Abdullahi Gero unleashed an unexpected long-range effort from midfield that rattled off Flora's crossbar. Despite the chances, neither side managed to break the deadlock in the first half.
The second half continued much as the first, with Flora's dominance in possession, but Trans no longer posed much of a threat. The game's sole goal came in the 66th minute: Although Trans 'keeper Daniil Pareiko managed to parry away a Vladislav Kreida free kick from in front of goal, Flora left-back Sander Tovstik softly tipped the ball over into the net from about ten meters out.
Flora last won the cup in 2020.
The second finalist will be decided this evening, Wednesday, when Paide Linnameeskond and Pärnu JK Vaprus face off at Paide's artificial turf stadium at 6:15 p.m. Estonian time.
Whoever wins the Tipner Trophy this year will also book their place in the UEFA Conference League qualifiers, unless the winner is Flora – for they already have a place lined up in the qualifiers for the highest tier of European club football.
In addition to the trophy, the winner of the Evald Tipner Cup will earn a spot in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League. If Flora, who have already secured a place in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League, go on to win the cup, the Conference League qualification spot will instead go to Paide, last season's fourth-place team in the Meistriliiga.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Anders Nõmm
