In the opening game of Saturday’s doubleheader on Matchday 4 of the TOPsport A Lyga, FK Kauno Žalgiris staged a comeback, beating FA Šiauliai 3-2 away from home. Belgian attacking player Amine Benchaib scored the game-winning goal, which was his 3rd goal of the season.
Both teams began the season with a win, a draw, and a loss in their first three matches. In their last game before the winter break, FA Šiauliai lost to FC Hegelmann 1-0, while Kauno Žalgiris played to a goalless draw against FK Riteriai.
Manager Dainis Kazakevičs gave Estonian midfielder Nikita Komissarov and Serbian forward Milan Djokic their first starts of the season for Šiauliai. Meanwhile, Kauno Žalgiris manager Černiauskas selected 19-year-old Tautvydas Burdžilauskas for his first appearance in the starting lineup, marking a debut for the former FK Sūduva academy player.
Both teams had opportunities at the start of the game, but the goalkeepers held strong. The first goal came in the 19th minute when Sirgedas’s corner kick reached Anton Tolordava, who headed it past goalkeeper Gustas Baliutavičius, making it 1-0. This marked Tolordava’s first A Lyga goal of the season.
In the latter part of the first half, Šiauliai equalized when Eligijus Jankauskas scored his third goal of the season. After his initial header from a cross was saved by the goalkeeper, he reacted quickly to the rebound and slotted it in, bringing the score to 1-1.
Just before half-time, Šiauliai took the lead. Benny Silva’s long-range shot hit the post and fell to the unmarked Martynas Dapkus, who headed it in, making it 2-1 as the teams headed into the break.
In the second half, Kauno Žalgiris equalized thanks to a second goal of the season from the talented Romualdas Jansonas. Eighteen minutes later, his teammate Amine Benchaib scored to give Žalgiris the lead. Benchaib created space for himself at the edge of the box and curled a shot into the right corner, out of reach for the goalkeeper. The score was now 3-2 in favor of Žalgiris, marking Benchaib’s third goal of the season.
Šiauliai could not find a way to equalize, suffering their second consecutive defeat, while Kauno Žalgiris secured their second win of the season, climbing the table.
FA Šiauliai’s next match will be next Saturday against FK Banga Gargždai, while FK Kauno Žalgiris will face a derby match next Sunday, traveling to Vilnius to play against FK Žalgiris.
FA Šiauliai vs FK Kauno Žalgiris – 2:3 (2:1)
Goals: Jankauskas 35′, Dapkus 45+2′ | Tolordava 19′, Jansonas 59′, Benchaib 77′
Yellow Card: Jankauskas 53′, Zebrauskas 69′ | Bah-Traore 48′, Černych 66′, Ourega 75′
ŠIA: Baliutavičius – Mandic, Dapkus, Gaspuitis, Sadzoute (Jarašius 65′) – Šimkus (Zebrauskas 65′), Benny Silva – Micevičius (Dovydaitis 65′), Komissarov (Kubilinskas 74′), Jankauskas – Djokic
KAU: Mikelionis – Burdzilauskas (Bah-Traore 46′), Tolordava, Hernandez, Edokpolor – Sirgedas, Pavlovic (Naah 46′) – Chogadze (Ourega 67′), Benchaib (Armanavičius 86′), Černych – Jansonas (Georgijevic 67′)
| # | Club | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Hegelmann FC | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 12 |
| 2 | FK Sūduva | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 12 |
| 3 | FK Žalgiris | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 9 |
| 4 | Kauno Žalgiris | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
| 5 | FA Šiauliai | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| 6 | FC Džiugas Telšiai | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | -1 | 6 |
| 7 | FK Riteriai | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| 8 | FK Banga Gargždai | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| 9 | FK Panevėžys | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -3 | 4 |
| 10 | DFK Dainava Alytus | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | -6 | 1 |