The new Pirma Lyga season will begin on Friday, 13 March, after the opening round was postponed because of adverse weather and snow-covered pitches across Lithuania. Instead of round one, the competition will start with round-two fixtures, with 16 teams from 13 cities and districts taking part.
The campaign opens with Be1 against BFA at the LFF Kaunas training centre. On the same evening, Tauras visit Kauno Žalgiris B, while FA Šiauliai B host Neptūnas. The round continues on Saturday with matches in Garliava, Kretinga, Vilnius District and Panevėžys, before concluding on Sunday with Hegelmann B against Atmosfera in Raudondvaris.
Three new sides are in the league this season: TransINVEST B, Dainava and Garliava. The latter two return to the division after time away. Garliava were relegated from Pirma Lyga in 2024 after finishing 15th, but came back at the first attempt by taking second place in last season’s LFF II Lyga A Division with 76 points, behind only TransINVEST B on 80.
Dainava return after four years away. They won the division in 2022 and then spent the past three seasons in the top flight, only to finish bottom of Toplyga last year.
Garliava head into the season with much of their core retained. Club representative Tadas Kijanskas said the side had kept leading scorer Lukas Odincovas and coach Marius Bezykornovas, while adding reinforcements within budget limits. He said the squad build is not yet complete, but the priority is to give opportunities to academy players and establish a strong Lithuanian base.
“We do not have unrealistic goals,” Kijanskas said. “First of all, we want to represent Garliava and Kaunas District properly. We will actively integrate players from our academy and continue developing more experienced Lithuanian footballers. We want a strong Lithuanian foundation.”
He added that Garliava have not set a fixed league target, but would be satisfied if they better their best previous Pirma Lyga finish of eighth place in 2023.
Dainava have undergone more extensive changes after relegation. Director Žydrūnas Lukošiūnas said most of the previous squad and the Turkmenistan-born head coach had left the club. More experienced local players from last season’s top-flight campaign are limited to Gustas Zabita and goalkeeper Airidas Mickevičius, although Cheikhas Faye and Obi Jeremiah Chinonso have stayed on, and more foreign players are expected to join.
Dainava have also promoted a number of academy players and brought in midfielder Kasparas Sacevičius, a Lithuania youth international previously linked with Arsenal’s academy setup. Lukošiūnas said the club are still waiting for a new head coach to arrive from the Polish first division.
Despite budget, stadium and municipal support issues, Dainava are aiming high. “We hope to challenge for a return to the top flight,” Lukošiūnas said. “I am not saying we will definitely win the title, especially as there is no shortage of contenders such as Tauras, Neptūnas and Babrungas. But we spent the last three seasons in the top division and it would be strange to feel timid in a lower one.”
League director Diana Jonaitienė said a new young player award will also be introduced this season. Each month, the best young Lithuanian player will be selected by national team coach and league ambassador Edgaras Jankauskas together with youth coaches Mindaugas Čepas and Andrius Skerla, with those monthly winners then in contention for the best young player of the round.
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Source: https://www.lff.lt/i-pirma-lyga-kuria-remia-topsport-sugrize-klubai-duos-kelia-savo-jaunimui/
