by Mantas Aliukonis
It’s a humid post-match evening in the Lithuanian Cup, and Lazar Kojić, the tireless Serbian midfielder for FK Hegelmann, is leaning against a wall outside the changing rooms, still catching his breath. Fresh off a hard-fought 1–0 win against TransINVEST in the Round of 16, he’s tired but collected.
“We expected a battle,” he says plainly. “They pressed us, they fought hard, and honestly? They’re good enough to play in the A Lyga right now. But we stayed organized, fought for every ball, and got the result we needed. One goal was enough today—and a bit of luck helped too.”
At 25, Kojić is in his second season in Lithuania, having arrived from Belgrade to anchor the midfield in Hegelmann’s box-to-box setup. Standing at 1.90m, he plays the classic No. 8 role: equal parts grit and vision. He’s not the flashiest, but he’s the heartbeat.
Next to him, Jonathan Mulder—Dutch-Israeli left-back and former Israel U-21 international—sits massaging his leg with a foam roller. He didn’t feature tonight, but his banter is still very much present. “Who’s winning the Champions League final?” he throws out, grinning. “I’ve got a bet going with Kader [Hegelmann’s Cameroonian striker].”
Mulder’s pick? “Inter. 2–0. Mark my words.”
Inter lost 5-0 to PSG.
High Expectations, Heavy Legs
Kojić knows this season won’t be easy. “We weren’t fully recovered from our match against Riteriai three days ago—we came back from 2–0 down in that one. Physically, that took a toll. But the schedule won’t wait. We’ve got Banga in just a few days, and they’re no walkover.”
Hegelmann has a strong record against Banga in Kaunas—four years undefeated on home turf. “We want to keep that going,” Kojić nods. “They’ve got quality. Maybe the results haven’t gone their way lately, but they’re well-coached and dangerous.”
Still, the away form is a puzzle. Their last trip to Gargždai ended in a 2–0 defeat. “It’s hard to explain,” Kojić admits. “Against Panevėžys, we held it 0–0 until the 75th minute, then conceded from a counter-attack and collapsed. We’re trying to find consistency—play to win, but stay balanced defensively. When we open up, it costs us.”
Kojić is one of several Serbs making a mark in the A Lyga this season. “Dejan Georgijević scored four in the Cup for Kauno Žalgiris, and Pavle Radunović already has six in the league,” he notes.
It’s not an easy league—very physical. You’ve got to run, transition fast, and stay sharp.
While not tactically rigid, Hegelmann leans into transition play. “We move a lot without the ball, switch quickly from defense to attack. That’s our edge. You need that in a league this physically demanding.”
And what about his own form? With 2 goals and 3 assists, Kojić has quietly become one of Hegelmann’s most consistent performers. “I just want to help the team. We’ve got two beasts up front—Abdel Kader and Rasheed Yusuf—they make things easier for all of us. They’ve got big futures.”
Eyes on Europe—Cautiously
Hegelmann qualified for Europe but Kojić is careful not to overpromise. “It depends on the draw,” he shrugs. “I hope we get a winnable match in the first round. But right now, we’re just focused on our domestic form.”
A Lyga gold? “Too early to say. We’re not even halfway through.”
Still, a few teams have caught his eye. “Sūduva surprised me. Good energy, strong atmosphere. Kauno Žalgiris too—they’ve got a solid setup this year.”
Asked about head coach Andrius Skerla, Kojić is unequivocal. “He’s a great coach and an even better person. He creates unity. That matters. When we’re down, he helps us lift our heads and fight to the end.
“We’ve conceded some goals, but that’s on us, not him. A coach can tell you how to defend, but he can’t do it for you.”
Finding Peace in Lithuania
Off the pitch, Kojić has embraced life in Kaunas. “It’s calm. Peaceful. I like it here—lots of green spaces, trees, nature. It’s quieter than Serbia, for sure. People are more reserved, but I enjoy that. Kaunas is a beautiful city.”
But his real source of calm? “My family. They’re everything. My fiancée, my friends, my parents—they’re my rock. They keep me going.”
As the interview wraps up, Mulder pipes in again, still grinning. “Tell him who the best player on the team is.”
I glance at Kojić. “Probably Lazar,” I say.
“Exactly,” laughs Mulder. “Lazar for MVP!”
And with that, the locker room echoes with laughter—a rare quiet moment in a long, relentless season.
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