In their opening match of the season, Toplyga newcomers FK TransInvest took an early lead but were ultimately held to a 2-2 draw by FA Šiauliai. TransInvest head coach Marius Stankevičius began by congratulating the Lithuanian football community on the start of the season but admitted the result felt like two points dropped.
“We played quite well and created many chances,” Stankevičius said. “In the first half we could have closed the game. We had enough opportunities to do that. In the second half as well. When you don’t take those chances, sometimes you pay the price.”
He suggested that scoring early may have subconsciously affected his side.
“Maybe after scoring early there is a feeling that you are already close to victory, but there is still the whole match to play. In some episodes we needed to stay focused until the end.”
The coach was particularly critical of the short spell in which TransInvest conceded twice.
“We simply lost two goals. There was a moment where some players thought the ball had gone out, but the referee didn’t whistle. We must play to the whistle. From my perspective there was also a clear penalty situation for us. But I told the team – we have no excuses. We must do our job better. Those episodes cannot decide the match.”
Despite frustration, Stankevičius stressed that a point is still valuable. “It is a pity to lose two points, but one point is still in our pocket. However it comes, it is important.”
He also spoke about integrating new arrivals into the squad, noting that most of the core group completed the full pre-season while new players must now adapt and compete for places. With the transfer window still open, he suggested one or two additions remain possible.
Regarding preparations and playing indoors, he acknowledged that weather conditions dictate the situation for now, with Sportima likely remaining the venue through at least mid-March.
Source: Toplyga/YouTube
