Lithuanian champions Kauno Žalgiris bounced back from their first defeat of the season with an emphatic 4-0 victory over bottom-placed FK Riteriai in a Toplyga Matchday 10 clash.
Despite being without head coach Eivinas Černiauskas on the touchline – following his red card in the previous round – the champions showed no signs of disruption and started the match at full intensity.
It took just three minutes for the hosts to open the scoring. Dejan Pavlovic played a precise pass down the right flank to Amine Benchaib, and the league’s top scorer made no mistake, calmly finishing into the far corner for his seventh goal of the season.
Kauno Žalgiris controlled possession for much of the first half, pinning Riteriai deep in their own half, though clear-cut chances were limited. The visitors did threaten once, however, when Jonas Usavičius rattled the crossbar with a powerful long-range effort in the 20th minute.
The pressure eventually paid off just before halftime. In the 43rd minute, Gratas Sirgedas doubled the lead with a well-struck effort from outside the penalty area, giving the hosts a comfortable 2-0 advantage going into the break.
The second half began with another big chance for the home side. Motiejus Burba found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper but struck the post, before having the ball in the net moments later – only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.
Riteriai briefly showed signs of life, creating a couple of promising shooting opportunities, but lacked the finishing touch to trouble the scoreboard.
Kauno Žalgiris soon reasserted control and sealed the result late on. Leo Ribeiro made it 3-0 after a clever sequence saw him round the goalkeeper and finish into an empty net while off balance. Then, in the 90th minute, Georgian defender Anton Tolordava completed the rout with a powerful header from a corner.
A commanding performance ensured the champions returned to winning ways in convincing fashion, sending a clear message after last week’s setback.
FK Kauno Žalgiris vs FK Riteriai – 4-0 (2-0)
Goals: Benchaib 3′, Sirgedas 43′, Leo Ribeiro 86′ Tolordava 90′
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  RFS |
8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 3 | 10 | 21 |
| 2 |  Riga FC |
8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 29 | 9 | 20 | 19 |
| 3 |  FK Auda |
8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 16 |
| 4 |  BFC Daugavpils |
8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 13 | -1 | 13 |
| 5 |  FK Liepāja |
8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 10 | -1 | 11 |
| 6 |  Super Nova |
8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 13 | -4 | 10 |
| 7 |  Grobiņa |
8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 9 | -5 | 8 |
| 8 |  FK Tukums 2000 |
8 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 11 | 14 | -3 | 5 |
| 9 |  FS Jelgava |
8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 17 | -11 | 5 |
| 10 |  Ogre United |
8 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 14 | -9 | 3 |
