by Mantas Aliukonis
A rough start means trouble? Or is a good start half the battle won? So far this season, last year’s A Lyga bronze medallists, Kauno Žalgiris, are busting those clichés wide open with their performances in Lithuania’s top flight.
Silencing the Critics
Under the guidance of Eivinas Černiauskas, the club has silenced any critics it might have had in the A Lyga and, halfway through the championship (after 19 rounds), confidently leads the league, sitting six points clear of both Kauno raj. Hegelmann and Marijampolė’s Sūduva, who are tied on points.
At the start of the season, the Kauno Žalgiris coach’s position looked somewhat shaky, but that uncertainty has faded, and the team, largely spared of serious injuries, is now gearing up for its next hurdle — facing Wales’ vice-champions, Penybont, in European competition.
Penybont finished second in last season’s Welsh league, which operates on an autumn-spring schedule, ending up 14 points behind the dominant Welsh powerhouse and 17-time champions, The New Saints. Penybont’s squad is comprised mainly of local players.
Last sunny weekend, Kauno Žalgiris crushed Vilnius’ Riteriai 5-1 in A Lyga action, showing no signs of slowing down as they prepare to embark on their European journey in Jonava — a switch of venue necessitated because Kaunas will be hosting a heavy metal concert by Guns N’ Roses at the same time.
More Than Just Football
Meanwhile, in Vilnius, the skeletal frame of the long-stalled National Stadium still stands near the Akropolis shopping centre.
It seems that Kauno Žalgiris, a flagship sports club for the city, is not only navigating Lithuania’s sports landscape (both in basketball and football) but is gradually becoming a presence in broader civic matters in Vilnius. Public debate continues over who will ultimately manage the yet-unfinished National Football Stadium in the Šeškinė district. Lithuanian taxpayers are naturally asking who will control the stadium for decades to come in Vilnius, and who stands to benefit.
Will the National Stadium become a political tool for politicians and local businessmen? Or could it, conversely, serve as a positive example of how to construct a larger stadium than Kaunas has — and finally settle the argument over its necessity for future generations? These questions should soon be clarified at the municipal level, though for now, the national government and Seimas are steering clear of the debate.
Ready for Europe?
As they prepare for European battles, Kauno Žalgiris look confident this season. Feeling equally at ease at his new club is Serbian player Dejan Kerkez, who hails from the Balkans. This season, Kauno Žalgiris boasts one of the stingiest defences in the A Lyga, conceding barely half a goal per match on average.
That record reflects the entire defensive line’s effort and the contribution of individual players, including 29-year-old D. Kerkez, as well as the coaching staff’s tactical choices.
Below is a short interview with the Green-and-White’s centre-back, who wears the No. 5 jersey.
Interview with Dejan Kerkez
– Dejan, you had a poor start to the season but then found your rhythm. Now, you’re seen as favourites to win the A Lyga title.
“The start of the season took time because we had to fully build our chemistry and coordinate our actions both in attack and defence. But although we’re a young team, with quality players in all positions, we’re showing pretty good football. As for the A Lyga title — it’s still too early to talk about it. Of course, it’s no secret that we’d love to win it.”
– What are your goals against the Welsh side Penybont? Would you say your current form is close to perfect considering your resources?
“We have just one goal against them — victory and moving on to the next round. We respect every opponent, but right now we’re in very good form, close to ideal. We’ve been playing with great confidence these past few months, so we feel assured about ourselves in this tie.”
– In the Cup, you secured arguably your biggest win of the season by knocking out your fierce rivals and reigning national champions Vilnius Žalgiris in May. How much confidence did those two consecutive wins over them give you for the rest of the season?
“Yes, in both matches against them we played better and won confidently. We need to keep working hard because there are still many tough battles ahead, both in Europe and in the A Lyga. The A Lyga is competitive in itself, with many unexpected results this year. Hopefully, we can avoid serious injuries and achieve our season goals.”
For context, after FK Spyris merged and rebranded as FK Kauno Žalgiris, the club has yet to claim any significant victories in European competition.
In the past, they suffered aggregate defeats in Europa League qualifiers against Apollon Limassol (0-6) and Bodo Glimt (1-6). Even after UEFA created a new tournament for clubs from smaller nations, Kauno Žalgiris faced harsh exits in the Conference League qualifiers: last season, they were eliminated by FK Panevėžys’ conquerors, The New Saints (1-10), Slovak side MFK Ružomberok (0-2), and last summer fell short against Lech Poznań (2-5).
Their lone bright moment in Europe came five years ago, when they defeated Gibraltar’s FC Europa in the first round with a 2-0 aggregate score
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