Round 19 of the TOPsport A Lyga concluded in Panevėžys, where the home side failed to deliver a win in front of their fans. Defensive lapses and wasted chances in attack proved costly as FK Panevėžys suffered a 1:2 defeat against FK Sūduva.
The home side, coming into the match on a two-game losing streak, made two changes to their starting XI compared to the previous 2–4 defeat against FK Žalgiris. Forward Ariagner Smith returned to the lineup, while a debut was handed to Slovenian midfielder Lovro Grajfoner, who joined Panevėžys just a few days earlier.
Meanwhile, Sūduva, enjoying an excellent run of form and unbeaten since April 16, made no changes to the side that defeated Hegelmann FC, as head coach Donatas Vencevičius kept faith in his winning lineup.
In the previous two meetings between these teams this season, Panevėžys won the first encounter, while the second ended in a draw. Notably, Sūduva hadn’t beaten Panevėžys away from home since June 2020 — a drought they were determined to end.
The visitors got off to a strong start and took the lead in the 15th minute. Amara Haidara dispossessed Abdoul Dante and squared the ball inside the box to Nauris Petkevičius, who calmly slotted it into the near post.
Panevėžys nearly responded just three minutes later when Lucas de Vega found Domantas Vaičekauskas, but his effort was heroically cleared off the goal line by Henry Uzochukwu.
Sūduva could have doubled their lead before the half-hour mark, as Sidy Sanokho’s run and cutback found Frankline Tangiri, only for his shot to be saved by the goalkeeper. However, in the 39th minute, the same duo made no mistake — Tangiri set up Sanokho, who dribbled past debutant Lovro Grajfoner and calmly beat Vytautas Černiauskas.
Panevėžys pulled one back just before the break. In the final minute of the first half, Faustas Steponavičius delivered a pinpoint corner, which was headed home by Lucas de Vega to make it 1–2.
The second half saw Panevėžys push hard for an equaliser. In the 57th minute, Ariagner Smith found himself through on goal but squandered the golden opportunity with a poor finish. Later in the half, Steponavičius fired a dangerous free kick on target, only to be denied by Sūduva’s goalkeeper. Deep into added time, substitute Darius Stankevičius rattled the woodwork, summing up Panevėžys’ frustrating evening.
Sūduva are now unbeaten in 12 consecutive matches — the longest active streak in the league.
With this result, Sūduva are tied on points with Hegelmann for second place in the standings on 37 points, six behind league leaders FK Kauno Žalgiris. Panevėžys remain seventh with 22 points.
FK Paņevežys vs FK Sūduva – 1:2 (1:2)
Goals: De Vega 45′ | Petkevičius 15′, Sanokho 39′
PAN: Černiauskas, Rasimavičius, Dante, Januševskis, Krasniqi (Veliulis 67′), Steponavičius, Vaicekauskas (Elivelton 46′), Grajfoner, De Vega, Smith, Kouadio (Asamoah 83′)
SŪD: Plūkas, Uzochukwu, Beneta, Zivanovic, Baltrunas, Tangiri (Momoh 68′), Sakurai (Pyrogov 89′), Lawson, Haidara (Stankevičius 68′), Petkevičius, Sanokho (Lucky 79′)
A Lyga Matchday 19 games:
- 04.07.2025 – FK Žalgiris vs FK Banga Gargždai – 1:0
- 05.07.2025 – FC Hegelmann vs FA Šiauliai – 5:2
- 05.07.2025 – FK Riteriai vs FK Kauno Žalgiris – 1:5
- 06.07.2025 – DFK Dainava Alytus vs Džiugas Telšiai – 0:2
- 07.07.2025 – FK Panevėžys vs FK Sūduva Marijampolė – 1:2
| # | Club | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Kauno Žalgiris | 35 | 22 | 8 | 5 | 41 | 74 |
| 2 | Hegelmann FC | 35 | 20 | 4 | 11 | 12 | 64 |
| 3 | FK Žalgiris | 35 | 17 | 11 | 7 | 15 | 62 |
| 4 | FK Sūduva | 35 | 15 | 14 | 6 | 13 | 59 |
| 5 | FA Šiauliai | 35 | 14 | 9 | 12 | 6 | 51 |
| 6 | FK Panevėžys | 35 | 13 | 7 | 15 | 5 | 46 |
| 7 | FC Džiugas Telšiai | 35 | 13 | 6 | 16 | -8 | 45 |
| 8 | FK Banga Gargždai | 35 | 11 | 8 | 16 | 2 | 41 |
| 9 | FK Riteriai | 35 | 6 | 7 | 22 | -37 | 25 |
| 10 | DFK Dainava Alytus | 35 | 3 | 8 | 24 | -49 | 17 |
