Toplyga Round 19 concluded with late drama as FK Sūduva came from behind to defeat FK Panevėžys 2-1 away from home. A stoppage-time own goal secured the visitors’ second last-gasp victory of the season and lifted the Marijampolė side to the top of the league table.
The match began at a lively pace, with both teams enjoying spells of possession but struggling to create clear-cut opportunities during the opening exchanges. The first real chance arrived in the 12th minute when Oleksandr Kurtsev tested Ignas Plūkas from distance, but the Sūduva goalkeeper reacted well to keep the effort out.
The visitors responded moments later through Faustas Steponavičius, whose strike took a deflection before Vytas Černiauskas reacted sharply to prevent the ball from finding the net.
Panevežys eventually made their pressure count five minutes before the break. Kwadwo Asamoah won possession cleanly in midfield before racing clear on goal, calmly beating Plūkas in a one-on-one situation to give the hosts a deserved 1-0 advantage.
The home side nearly doubled their lead before half-time in spectacular fashion. Spotting Plūkas well off his line, Kurtsev attempted an ambitious effort from near the halfway line, but the goalkeeper recovered just in time to retreat and tip the ball away.
After the interval, the momentum shifted in Sūduva’s favour. The visitors enjoyed greater control of possession and steadily increased the pressure around the Panevežys penalty area.
Their persistence paid off in the 76th minute. Titas Milašius delivered an accurate pass into the box, where Steve Lawson met it first time and guided a precise finish into the bottom corner to bring Sūduva level.
With the match seemingly heading for a draw, the decisive moment arrived deep in the stoppage time. Panevežys failed to deal with Sūduva’s final attack of the evening, and under pressure Miano van den Bos turned the ball into their own net, handing the visitors a dramatic 2-1 victory.
The defeat leaves Panevežys eighth in the standings with 18 points, while Sūduva extended their unbeaten run to nine games and climbed to the top of the Toplyga table with 29 points.
FK Panevežys vs FK Sūduva – 1-2 (1-0)
Goals: Asamoah 40′ | Lawson 76′, van den Bos 90+8′
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Džiugas Telšiai |
18 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 28 | 22 | 6 | 29 |
| 2 |  FK Sūduva |
18 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 21 | 16 | 5 | 29 |
| 3 |  Transinvest |
17 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 27 | 22 | 5 | 28 |
| 4 |  Kauno Žalgiris |
17 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 31 | 15 | 16 | 27 |
| 5 |  FK Banga |
18 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 19 | 13 | 6 | 27 |
| 6 |  FK Žalgiris |
18 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 24 | 21 | 3 | 25 |
| 7 |  FC Hegelmann |
18 | 3 | 9 | 6 | 19 | 28 | -9 | 18 |
| 8 |  FK Panevėžys |
18 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 17 | 33 | -16 | 18 |
| 9 |  FA Šiauliai |
18 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 18 | 34 | -16 | 13 |
