Dominant Kauno Žalgiris put one foot in the next round

FK Kauno Žalgiris kicked off their UEFA Conference League campaign in dominant fashion, securing a comfortable 3–0 home victory over Welsh side Penybont FC in the first qualifying round first leg game. With this emphatic result, the Lithuanian A Lyga leaders have taken a significant step toward advancing to the second round.

There were no surprises in Kauno Žalgiris’ starting XI, as head coach Eivinas Černiauskas fielded his strongest lineup. The Lithuanian outfit entered the match as clear favorites, particularly against a Penybont side still in pre-season, with the Welsh domestic league yet to kick off.

The hosts nearly opened the scoring in the 4th minute, but Romualdas Jansonas’ effort was chalked off for offside. Moments later, Penybont reminded everyone they weren’t here just to defend, forcing Žalgiris keeper Švedkauskas into action with a long-range strike in the 9th minute.

The breakthrough came in the 18th minute. Fabien Ourega, in terrific form with goals in his last three league outings, made a surging run down the left wing. He laid it off to A Lyga’s top scorer Amine Benchaib, who shaped to shoot. Instead, his attempt was deflected into the net by 21-year-old Penybont defender Gabriel Kircough, resulting in an own goal and a 1–0 lead for Žalgiris.

Just six minutes later, the home side doubled their advantage. After a reckless foul by Penybont, Žalgiris were awarded a dangerous free kick. Gratas Sirgedas, named A Lyga’s Player of the Month for June, stepped up and bent a sublime left-footed shot from a tight angle past the keeper to make it 2–0.

Žalgiris continued to dominate. In the 36th minute, Sirgedas delivered a pinpoint cross to the back post, where Ourega flicked it across the goalmouth—but no one was there to finish. Shortly before halftime, Ourega again tested the Penybont goalkeeper, though his effort lacked power. The final action of the half came from Sirgedas, whose powerful strike from distance rattled the crossbar, leaving the scoreline at 2–0 going into the break.

Other than one early scare, it was total control from the Lithuanian side in the first half, laying a solid foundation for the return leg.

Žalgiris wasted no time after the restart, scoring a third goal in the opening moments of the second half. Ourega once again played provider, finding Serbian midfielder Damjan Pavlović just outside the box. Pavlović made no mistake, sending a precise shot into the bottom corner past the helpless goalkeeper.

Penybont’s situation worsened in the 63rd minute when defender Mael Davies was shown a second yellow card and sent off, leaving the visitors to play out the rest of the match with 10 men.

Although Žalgiris pushed for a fourth, the best late-game chance fell to Penybont. In the 80th minute, a sloppy back-pass from Bah-Traore nearly gifted the Welsh side a goal, but Divine Naah saved the day with a perfectly timed sliding challenge to dispossess the attacker before he could shoot—a vital intervention that preserved the clean sheet.

Despite several more attempts, Žalgiris couldn’t add to their tally, but the 3–0 final scoreline will more than satisfy the Lithuanian side. They now head into the second leg with a commanding advantage, eyeing a potential second-round clash against either Estonian giants Flora or Icelandic outfit Valur.

FK Kauno Žalgiris vs Penybont FC – 3:0 (2:0)
Goals: Kircough 18′ (Own goal), Sirgedas 24′, Pavlovic 47′
ŽAL: Švedkauskas, Bah-Traore, Tolordava, Hernandez, Edokpolor, Sirgedas (Cernych 76′), Pavlovic, Chogadze (Naah 76′), Benchaib (Burdzilauskas 88′), Ourega (Paulauskas 88′), Jansonas (Armanavičius 89′)
PEN: Armstrong, Little (Woodiwiss 74′), Ludvigsen, Kircough, Davies, Baker (Clay 88′), Green, Jones (Owen 68′), Daley, Crole, Pritchard (Wood 68′)