TARTU, Estonia (Interstat) — Tammeka II opened its Esiliiga B campaign with a 2-1 victory over crosstown rival Tartu Kalev on Wednesday, overcoming an early deficit with two goals in a 12-minute span before halftime.

The Week 22 match in Estonia’s fourth-tier football league, played at Tartu Sepa tänava staadion, saw the visiting Tartu Kalev strike first but fail to hold the lead, beginning its season with a defeat.

Tartu Kalev’s Ange-Yoan Bonny opened the scoring in the 35th minute, finishing a play assisted by midfielder Issiaka Kamate to put the visitors ahead. The advantage was short-lived, however, as Tammeka II’s Andy Diouf responded just before intermission. Diouf leveled the match at 1-1 in the 47th minute, converting a pass from forward Francesco Esposito.

The home side completed its comeback before the break. In the 57th minute, substitute Sandro Kulenović delivered the decisive blow, heading in a service from fellow substitute Guillermo Maripán to give Tammeka II a 2-1 lead. Midfielder Petar Sučić was also credited with an assist on the winning goal.

The match grew increasingly tense as Tartu Kalev pushed for an equalizer in the latter stages. The physical tone resulted in four yellow cards being issued in the final 20 minutes. Sučić of Tammeka II was booked in the 71st minute, followed by Tartu Kalev’s Kamate in the 79th. Esposito of Tammeka II received a caution in the 83rd minute, and Maripán was shown a yellow card in the 87th minute.

The final score defied the pregame projection from Interstat’s game simulator, which had forecast a 2-2 draw. The result aligned more closely with the statistical service’s ELO rating system, which had given Tammeka II a 60.40 percent probability of victory.

With the win, Tammeka II begins its Esiliiga B season with a perfect record of one win and no losses. Tartu Kalev starts its campaign with one loss and no wins. Both clubs’ records across all competitions mirror their league standings following this opening contest.

The match showcased impactful performances from key attackers and substitutes. For Tammeka II, the contributions from Diouf and the substitute Kulenović proved the difference, while Tartu Kalev’s Bonny provided its lone bright spot in attack. The result gives Tammeka II early bragging rights in the Tartu football scene and a positive start to its season.