New FK Žalgiris head coach Rolandas Džiaukštas praised his side’s 2–0 win against city rivals Riteriai, highlighting both the support from the stands and the team’s resilience on the pitch.
“First of all I want to thank our fans – with the fireworks and everything, it was fantastic and really pushed the team forward,” said Džiaukštas after the match. He admitted the atmosphere perhaps led to some nervous over-excitement: “Sometimes we rushed forward too much.”
Despite that, Žalgiris took control early, though the coach acknowledged a lapse after the second goal when Riteriai briefly threatened to restore hope. “We made a few mistakes and gave away the ball too easily. If they had scored to make it 2–1, the finish would have been very complicated. I’m glad we kept them out.”
Džiaukštas, who handed a first start to Motiejus Burba, said the youngster had earned his chance. “His last game after coming on went very well, and he proved he deserves to play in the starting eleven.”
Žalgiris’ coach still sees room for improvement, particularly in managing games from a winning position: “At 2–0 we need to finish matches more solidly. But overall I’m very happy with the victory.”
