By Titas Teiten
What should have been a high-stakes football clash between two of Lithuania’s biggest clubs turned into something far more dramatic off the pitch.
On one side stood FK Žalgiris Vilnius: one of the most iconic, however, arguably the most disappointing team in the country this season, freshly and brutally eliminated from European competition. On the other, Žalgiris Kaunas: sitting confidently at the top of the league. It was a matchup that, on paper, promised fireworks.
But this game was never really about football.
For the fans of Žalgiris Vilnius, this was about sending a loud, clear, and theatrical message: Cheburin must go. Now.
In one of the most surreal moments Lithuanian football has seen in recent memory, the whistle to start the match was met not by cheers, but by a wave of symbolic protest. Fans of the Vilnius side raised luggages into the air, then hurled them onto the pitch. A visual metaphor for departure. A pointed signal that head coach Vladimir Cheburin, and perhaps even club president Vilma Venslovaitienė, had overstayed their welcome.
The symbolic gesture was quickly followed by chants of “Cheburin OUT!” echoing for over a minute. On the touchline, Cheburin’s response was a sarcastic round of applause, seemingly unsure how else to react.
Adding to the spectacle, the usually vocal Žalgiris Vilnius ultras were entirely silent again. Their designated section in the stadium stood eerily empty: a desert in the middle of the storm.
The crisis in Vilnius is deep. And unless significant changes are made, it shows no signs of stopping.
As for the actual football: there was little to write home about until the 29th minute. Two minutes earlier, Vasilije Radenović had picked up a yellow card, leading to a dangerous free-kick for Kaunas just outside the box. Midfielder Ernestas Burdzilauskas, only 22 years old, stepped up. His low strike pierced the wall and found the net.
It was the first real moment of footballing quality in a match defined more by protest than play.
At the start of the second half, Gratas Sirgėdas came on to replace midfielder Divine Naah for Žalgiris Kaunas. With that substitution, Kaunas had nine Lithuanian players on the pitch, compared to just three for Žalgiris Vilnius.
It was yet another symbolic moment, highlighting the contrasting philosophies between the two clubs. While Kaunas leaned on homegrown talent and national identity, Vilnius appeared increasingly disconnected from its roots, a reflection of the deeper issues plaguing the club. For many fans, it only further validated their criticism and frustration with the direction Žalgiris Vilnius has taken.
In the 65th minute, Žalgiris Vilnius center-back Luka Dumančić committed a costly error, gifting possession to Vilius Armanavičius in a dangerous area. Armanavičius quickly found Amine Benchaib, who delivered a pinpoint pass to striker Dejan Georgijević, slotting the ball into the net.
But the celebrations were short-lived: Georgijević was ruled offside, and the goal was disallowed.
In the 79th minute, chaos unfolded for Žalgiris Vilnius. While contesting a ball inside the Žalgiris Kaunas penalty area, center-back Vasilije Radenović committed a foul and was shown a second yellow card, reducing Cheburin’s side to ten men.
Moments later, Kaunas capitalized on the numerical advantage with a lightning-fast counter-attack. A swift transition left attacking midfielder Amine Benchaib one-on-one with goalkeeper Carlos Olses. The Belgian calmly rounded the keeper and slotted home Kaunas’ second goal of the match, sealing what felt like a final blow to a crumbling Vilnius side.
Just like after the first goal, the stadium echoed once again with chants of “Cheburin OUT!”. The Žalgiris Vilnius supporters showed no signs of letting up. Their message remained as clear and relentless as ever.
Surprisingly, Žalgiris Vilnius managed to pull one back late in the match. After a determined run down the left flank, Bruno Tavares fired a shot that found the net, scoring the only goal of the game for the struggling Vilnius side.
Despite the late spark, the match concluded without further drama, ending in a deserved 2-1 victory for Žalgiris Kaunas. The result felt inevitable, given the stark contrast between the two teams. Not just in performance, but in stability and direction.
The extent of Vilnius’ crisis was reflected clearly in the match statistics: Tavares’ goal in the 95th minute was the team’s only shot on target. A bleak indicator of a side not just underperforming, but unraveling.
FK Žalgiris vs Žalgiris Kaunas – 1:2 (0:1)
Goals: E.Burdzilauskas 29′ | A.Benchaib 82′ | B.Tavares 90+5′
ŽAL: C.Olses, L.Dumancic, Y.Kendysh, J.Moutachy, V.Radenovic, M.Šetkus (K.Lukaševič 69′), B.Tavares, G.Matulevičius, E.Ofori (D.Salcinovic 59′), O.Verbickas, L.Antal (K.Hadji 83′)
KAU: T.Švedkauskas, T.Burdzilauskas, N.Edokpolor, D.Kerkez, R.Lekiatas, V.Armanavičius, E.Burdzilauskas (A.Benchaib 64′), D.Naah (G.Sirgėdas 46′), V.Paulauskas (T.Chogadze 64′), F.Černych (F.Ourega 71′), R.Jansonas (D.Georgijevic 64′)
