Toplyga leaders Sūduva continued their impressive campaign on Sunday by defeating Panevėžys 2-0 in Marijampolė, while 19-year-old goalkeeper Liudvikas Valius made his league debut for the visitors following Vytautas Černiauskas’ suspension.
After Černiauskas was sent off in the previous round, Panevėžys were forced into a change between the posts, handing academy product Liudvikas Valius his first-ever Lithuanian top-flight appearance.
With Sūduva being the pre-game favorites the hosts showed that from the first minutes as they created the game’s first opportunity when Ibrahima Seck cut inside and curled an effort narrowly wide of the far post. Panevėžys’ young goalkeeper was then called into action in the 16th minute, denying Amadou Sabo after the forward had been picked out inside the penalty area by Ernestas Stočkūnas.
Sūduva continued to threaten as the first half progressed. Valius produced another excellent stop three minutes before the break, reacting superbly to keep out Faustus Steponavičius’ strike despite a deflection.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 58th minute. Henry Uzochukwu found Franklin Tangiri, who finished clinically beyond the debutant goalkeeper to hand the league leaders a deserved advantage.
Although Sūduva had several opportunities to double their lead on the counter-attack, the second goal did not arrive until the 81st minute. Amadou Sabo surged down the right wing before finding Moutari Chajia, who kept his composure inside the penalty area and slotted home to make it 2-0.
Panevėžys rarely threatened a comeback, with their best chance coming in stoppage time when Plūkas produced an excellent save to deny Parfait Bizoza’s powerful long-range effort and preserve his side’s two-goal advantage.
The victory keeps Sūduva at the top of the Toplyga table with 42 points after 28 rounds, while Panevėžys remain eighth on 23 points.
FK Sūduva vs FK Panevėžys – 2-0 (0-0)
Goals: Tangiri 58′, Chaija 81′
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  FK Sūduva |
23 | 11 | 9 | 3 | 33 | 17 | 16 | 42 |
| 2 |  Kauno Žalgiris |
22 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 41 | 16 | 25 | 38 |
| 3 |  FK Žalgiris |
23 | 11 | 4 | 8 | 37 | 27 | 10 | 37 |
| 4 |  FK Banga |
24 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 29 | 22 | 7 | 37 |
| 5 |  Džiugas Telšiai |
25 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 34 | 31 | 3 | 37 |
| 6 |  Transinvest |
24 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 33 | 32 | 1 | 36 |
| 7 |  FC Hegelmann |
25 | 4 | 11 | 10 | 27 | 42 | -15 | 23 |
| 8 |  FK Panevėžys |
24 | 6 | 5 | 13 | 21 | 41 | -20 | 23 |
| 9 |  FA Šiauliai |
24 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 23 | 50 | -27 | 16 |
