The LFF Futsal Cup will find out its new owners already this weekend when the final four will take to the floor at the Gargždai multi-purpose sports centre. Kauno Žalgiris, Akmenės kraštas, Bruklinas and Mažeikiai VIP will contest the trophy across two days, with holders Vikingai getting eliminated in the semi-finals.
Multiple time winners Kauno Žalgiris began their 2025-26 cup run in the last 16 with a 12-1 win over VDA, before coming through a tighter quarter-final against Gargždų Pramogos, winning 4-3.
Veteran Lukas Sendžikas said the workload behind each win remained a key driver. “Victories always stay important and pleasing, because behind each one is a lot of work put in during training,” he said. “With experience your approach changes, but the motivation to win doesn’t disappear. Thoughts about finishing my national-team career only encourage me to value every season and every chance to fight for a title.”
Kauno Žalgiris will face Mažeikiai VIP in Saturday’s second semi-final, with VIP having finished fifth in the regular season. The winners will meet either Akmenės kraštas or Bruklinas in Sunday’s final.
Akmenės kraštas head coach Oleksandr Danylenko said his side were treating the cup as a priority, pointing to the “one winner” nature of the competition. “The cup is one of three official Lithuanian futsal competitions, so we take these tournaments seriously,” he said. “The difference between the cup and the league is that there is only one winner – the cup holder – so other places are not so important. Right now we are thinking only about the semi-final.”
Akmenės kraštas reached the last four by beating lower-league opposition in the last 16 and quarter-finals, winning 9-1 against Aktas and 4-1 against Pempininkai. They now face Bruklinas, with Danylenko describing Saturday’s opponents as “bright” and well organised defensively, with their foreign players adding threat in attack.
VIP’s route has been more dramatic. They beat Radviliškis 6-5 in the last 16, with captain Aivaras Bagočius scoring the winner late on, then needed penalties in the quarter-final after a see-saw tie with lower-league Panevėžys.
“We expected to reach the final four, but everything was difficult and our game wasn’t clicking,” Bagočius said. “We’re going to Gargždai to fight a strong opponent, but we understand nobody is unbeatable. We can surprise with character and a fight until the last second – that can’t be taken away from VIP.”
Bruklinas, who won bronze last season but finished sixth in the regular campaign this time, have found momentum in the cup. They beat Narjanta 5-1 before knocking out holders Vikingai on penalties after a quarter-final that went to extra time.
Final four schedule (Gargždai, multi-purpose sports centre):
Saturday, 21 February
13:00 Bruklinas v Akmenės kraštas
16:00 Kauno Žalgiris v Mažeikiai VIP
Sunday, 22 February
16:00 Final
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Source: https://www.lff.lt/savaitgali-gargzduose-paaiskes-naujieji-lff-futsal-taures-savininkai/
