Lithuanian champions and Toplyga leaders FK Kauno Žalgiris were held to a 1-1 draw by TransINVEST in the Matchday 27 game on Sunday, dropping points at home just days before their UEFA Europa League play-off clash away to Turkish giants Besiktas.
Kauno Žalgiris made a bright start and took the lead in the eighth minute. After TransINVEST only partially cleared an Amine Benchaib cross, Vykintas Slivka nodded the ball into the path of Leon Krekovic, who fired a first-time effort into the net to make it 1-0.
The remainder of the first half offered few clear-cut opportunities. TransINVEST earned several dangerous set-pieces but failed to turn them into genuine chances, while Kauno goalkeeper Tomas Švedkauskas was only seriously tested once by a powerful Dominykas Barauskas free-kick.
The visitors found their equaliser almost immediately after the restart. Yukiyoshi Karashima handled Xabi Auzmendi’s shot inside the penalty area, and after a VAR review the referee confirmed the penalty. Stefan Miloševic converted confidently for his sixth league goal of the season to level the match at 1-1.
Kauno Žalgiris thought they had restored their lead just minutes later. Karashima sparked a counter-attack before finding Krekovic on the left, with the Croatian finishing clinically for what appeared to be his second goal of the afternoon. However, VAR intervened once again, ruling that Krekovic had been offside when the pass was played.
The champions controlled possession for much of the second half but struggled to create meaningful chances against the well-organised TransINVEST defence. Instead, it was the visitors who came closest to finding a winner in the 90th minute when substitute Chidera Nwoga broke through on goal, only for Švedkauskas to deny him from a tight angle.
The draw leaves both sides in their previous league positions. Kauno Žalgiris remain top of the Toplyga, one point ahead of Džiugas Telšiai, while TransINVEST stay fourth, two points behind the leaders in an increasingly tight title race.
Kauno Žalgiris now turn their attention to Thursday’s Europa League play-off first leg away to Besiktas, while TransINVEST return to league action on 24 August at home against FA Šiauliai.
FK Kauno Žalgiris vs TransINVEST – 1-1 (1-0)
Goals: Krekovic 8′ | Milosevic 48′
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Kauno Žalgiris |
22 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 41 | 16 | 25 | 38 |
| 2 |  Džiugas Telšiai |
23 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 34 | 27 | 7 | 37 |
| 3 |  FK Sūduva |
21 | 9 | 9 | 3 | 29 | 17 | 12 | 36 |
| 4 |  FK Banga |
23 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 28 | 21 | 7 | 36 |
| 5 |  Transinvest |
24 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 33 | 32 | 1 | 36 |
| 6 |  FK Žalgiris |
22 | 10 | 4 | 8 | 35 | 27 | 8 | 34 |
| 7 |  FK Panevėžys |
22 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 21 | 38 | -17 | 23 |
| 8 |  FC Hegelmann |
24 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 26 | 41 | -15 | 22 |
| 9 |  FA Šiauliai |
23 | 2 | 7 | 14 | 22 | 50 | -28 | 13 |
