On a rainy evening in Jonava, FK Panevėžys emerged victorious over FC Hegelmann after a hard-fought and entertaining Lithuanian Cup final between the two sides.
Surprisingly, pre-match favorite FC Hegelmann opened the game on the back foot, while their opponents, FK Panevėžys, seized control early.
Roland Vrabec’s men not only carved out more chances in the first half-hour, but they also dictated the tempo with a calm, composed, and well-structured style of play. The contrast was striking: Panevėžys appeared hungrier, sharper, and far more dangerous.
Perhaps the weight of expectation worked against Hegelmann. Superior on paper and still haunted by two recent Cup final defeats, the team carried the burden of turning this trophy from a goal into a necessity, a real chance to finally break the curse.
Panevėžys, by contrast, embraced their role as underdogs. With a disappointing season behind them, they entered the final with little to lose and plenty to gain.
Their first real chance arrived in the 30th minute. A costly error from Hegelmann midfielder Domantas Antanavičius gifted possession in midfield, allowing striker Ariagner Smith to break forward. Left one-on-one with centre-back Vilius Armalas, the Nicaraguan took his shot, only to see it crash against the post and spin out of play.
At half-time, Hegelmann captain Klaudijus Upstas did not sugarcoat his assessment. Speaking candidly, he admitted his side had been playing “terrible football,” conceding that nothing was going their way. He stressed the need for an honest conversation in the dressing room if Hegelmann were to show a completely different face in the second half.
One of the best Hegelmann’s opportunities came in the 69th minute. Leo Ribeiro delivered a dangerous cross from the left, finding Abdel Kader Njoya unmarked just a few meters from goal. The forward rose confidently to meet it, but to the surprise of many, his header sailed over the bar instead of testing goalkeeper Vytautas Černiauskas.
Just minutes later, Panevėžys broke the deadlock. Full-back Rokas Rasimavičius delivered a precise ball into the box, which Ariagner Smith controlled expertly. With the ball still in the air, the Nicaraguan striker produced an audacious back-heel finish that left goalkeeper Vincentas Šarkauskas helpless as it found the net.
In the 81st minute, Leo Ribeiro once again threatened down the left flank, cutting inside the box before unleashing a powerful strike. This time, however, the woodwork came to Panevėžys’s rescue, denying Hegelmann the equalizer.
In the end, FK Panevėžys secured a surprising yet fully deserved victory, lifting the Lithuanian Cup for only the second time in the club’s history. For Hegelmann, the result was a painful continuation of their Cup final curse, as another chance at silverware slipped away.
FC Hegelmann vs FK Panevėžys – 0:1 (0:0)
Goals: A.Smith 72′ (PAN)
HEG: V.Šarkauskas, D.Antanavičius (A.Harouna 46’), V.Armalas, C.Duke, K.Upstas, P.Popescu (R.Yusuf 79′), A.Njoya Kader, L.Ribeiro, M.Remeikis (W.Freire 73′), B.Isaac Ojumah, S.Radinovic (D.Kazlauskas 73′)
PAN: V.Černiauskas, S.Kouadio (L.Grajfoner 83′), L.De Vega (A.Dante 90+3′), A.Smith (M.Bacanin 90+3′), J.Januševskij, K.Asamoah, R.Rasimavičius, S.Keita, I.Asante, L.Krasniqi, Elivelto (E.Veliulis 77′)
