In a match that carried weight far beyond the three points at stake, Žalgiris Vilnius battled past Panevėžys in dramatic fashion, sealing a 2-1 victory with a stoppage-time own goal. With European places on the line and the looming departure of long-serving coach Vladimir Cheburin, the evening in Vilnius unfolded as both a tense sporting contest and the closing of a chapter in Žalgiris history.
The match brought together two close rivals in the A Lyga: the 5th and 7th placed teams. What made the clash even more intriguing was that both sides entered the game level on points (37), turning the fixture into a decisive battle for higher league positions and a potential ticket to European competition next season.
Among the spectators was the newly elected president of Žalgiris Vilnius, Mindaugas Kasperūnas, whose arrival has already sparked talk of swift changes at the club. Also present was national team coach Edgaras Jankauskas, who provided live analysis alongside the main commentator.
As reported by the media in the days leading up to the game, this was expected to be coach Vladimir Cheburin’s final outing in charge of Žalgiris. Kasperūnas has made it clear that restructuring is imminent, with Cheburin’s departure set as the first major step.
On the pitch, the breakthrough came late in the first half. In the 42nd minute, after a neat pass from Bruno Tavares, centre-back Yuri Kendysh unleashed a stunning strike from long range. The ball clipped the post before nestling into the net: a powerful and precise effort that gave Žalgiris the lead just before the interval.
Žalgiris came close to doubling their lead in the 76th minute, when three of their attackers broke forward against just two Panevėžys defenders. The move ended with Giedrius Matulevičius firing towards goal, but his effort rattled the crossbar and stayed out.
As the match edged toward its conclusion, Panevėžys seized their moment. A lapse in the Žalgiris defense allowed Kwadwo Asamoah to pounce, and in the 91st minute he slotted home the equalizer, sparking wild celebrations among the visiting side.
But the joy was painfully short-lived. Mere moments after conceding, Žalgiris pressed forward again. Matulevičius took another shot, which deflected off Panevėžys defender Abdoul Dante and into the net: an unfortunate own goal that restored Žalgiris’ lead.
The final whistle confirmed a dramatic, nerve-racking victory for Žalgiris, a win as stressful as it was sweet.
After the final whistle, coach Vladimir Cheburin stepped onto the pitch and waved to the crowd gathered in the stadium: a simple but strong gesture that seemed to confirm his farewell to the club.
FK Žalgiris vs FK Panevėžys – 2:1 (1:0)
Goals: Y.Kendysh 42’ (ŽAL) | K.Asamoah 90+1′ (PAN) | S.Kouadio 90+3′ O.G (PAN)
ŽAL: C.Olses, L.Dumancic, Y.Kendysh, J.Moutachy, B.Tavares, K.Lukaševič (P.Matyžonok 77′), G.Matulevičius, N.Mihajlovic (M.Šetkus 89′), E.Ofori (G.Jarusevičius 89′), O.Verbickas, L.Antal (M.Chol 77′)
PAN: V.Černiauskas, J.Januševskij, S.Keita, L.Krasniqi (A.Dante 79′), R.Rasimavičius, I.Asante (M.Bacanin 79′), L.de Vega, D.Vaičekauskas (S.Kouadio 63’), E.Veliulis (F.Steponavičius 63’), Elivelto (K.Asamoah 52’), A.Smith
