March 15, 2022
Kauno Zalgiris featured regularly in these diaries in 2020 during its coverage of the Lithuania A-Lyga season. Kauno finished third that season, 7 points off the championship, which was won in dramatic fashion in the final game of the season by Zalgiris, who beat Suduva 3-0 in a winner-takes-all match.
Kauno again finished third in 2021, but this time a distant 16 points off the pace as Zalgiris retained their title. Several mainstays of the 2020 side are no longer with the club. Nigerian forward Emmanuel David is now with Danish side Fremad Amager whilst compatriot Philip Oteze has joined Romanian club UTA Arad. Ukrainian midfielder Yuri Buschmann is playing in Kazakhstan with Qyzyljar.
However, veteran midfielder Linas Pilibaitis, top scorer in 2020 with 10 goals and 8 goals in 2020 is still at Kauno, although he is yet to start as Kauno made a disappointing start to this season, losing both matches so far with a 0-1 defeat at Panevezys and falling 1-2 to an injury time winner at FC Hegelmann.
The A-Lyga expanded from 6 sides to 10 in 2021 with Dziugas being one of the 4 clubs to make the step up from the second level. Telsiai is in the Lithuanian region of Samogitia, located 190km north-west of Kaunas, and 285km from the capital Vilnius.
In their first ever season in the top flight they ended in 8th position one point from the relegation play-off to survive for another year, but they took just one point from the last 5 games. Top scorer Nasko Milev has left the club to join fellow A-Lyga outfit FK Panevezys after an impressive 11 goals.
In 2021, Dziugas won 1-0 at Kauno, which actually was their last victory, although they subsequently lost 1-5 at home to the same side. Bulgarian top scorer Nasko Milev has left the club to join fellow A-Lyga outfit FK Panevezys after an impressive 11 goals.
Dziugas have played just the one match so far this season, losing 0-1 at home to Riteriai so at least one team would earn their first points from the match.
Tickets for the game on the artificial surface at the VDU Valdo Adamkus Stadium were priced at 5 Euros and Bet365.com made Kauno 4/6 favourites, with Dziugas at 16/5 and the draw 13/5. The weather at the 20.00 local time kick-off was dry but only 3 degrees.
Kauno made two changes to their side, with Dutch born Barbados international winger Ryan Trotman ( 2 caps ), son of former coach of the Dutch national Cricket side Emmerson Trotman, and ex MVV Curacao defender Shermar Martina ( 4 caps ) in the starting line up. Four current Lithuanian internationals, defenders Vaitkunas, Dapkus and Girdvainis plus midfielder Sirgedas also started. Dziugas were unchanged.
Kauno got off to a dream start, taking the lead with barely three minutes on the clock. A neat 1:2 freed Trotman to the left by-line and an inch perfect left-footed cross was met by a thumping diving header from Anisas from just outside the 6 yard line.
Dziugas came close to equalising a minute later when Brazilian Jorge cross for Emsis to head wide, but Kauno then dominated the rest of the first half albeit being limited to half chances. Kauno eventually doubled their lead in the 36th minute. From an in-swinging left-footed free-kick on the right from Sirgedas, ex-Riteriai striker Michael Thuique evaded his marker to send a glancing header into the far corner. The half ended with Dziugas’ Brazilian midfielder Antonio sending a free-kick inches over the bar.
Dziugas made two changes at half-time and looked a much more dangerous side thereafter. Jorge headed a corner over the bar from a good position, but Kauno responded with a thumping shot by Thuique from the angle of the penalty area which required a spectacular block from keeper Sarkausas.
Kauno then survived a scramble in their area at the expense of a corner in the 63rd minute, but Dziugas deservedly pulled a goal back in the 68th minute. Substitute Dovydas Virksas had only been on the pitch a few minutes, but he sent a stunning curving free-kick over the wall and into the top corner.
With just over 20 minutes left to find the equaliser, Dziugas continued to press but the Kauno defence were rarely inconvenienced. Indeed, Kauno occasionally looked dangerous on the counter-attack, the best chance occurring 4 minutes from time when Ndifor II threaded a ball behind the square defence, but Anisas fired over from the edge of the penalty area.
After three minutes of added on time, the referee blew the final whistle for Kauno to claim their first victory of the season and to get their campaign up and running.
FK Kauno Zalgiris : Mikelionis – Vaitkunas, Dapkus, Girdvainis, Martina ( Pilibaitas ) – Anisas, Naah ( Suwa ), Silkaitas, Sirgedas ( Ndifor II ) – Trotman ( Kloniunas ), Thuique
FC Dziugas Telsiai : Sarkauskas – Arlauskis, Zarskis, Sarpong – Pericles, Antonio ( Vasiliauskas ), Sluta ( Krusnauskas ), Koike, Lipskis ( Braz ) – Emsis, Jorge ( Virksas )
Highlights : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13RAqxdpZ0s
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