by Mantas Aliukonis
Seventeen matches played and only 19 points to show for it. An average barely above a single point per game—that’s not the kind of record that FK Žalgiris fans are used to seeing next to their club’s name.
Last weekend, in cold, rainy Vilnius, it wasn’t the green-and-white faithful celebrating in their own fortress but the blue-and-white of Hegelmann. A brilliant solo run and finish by team captain Klaudijus Upstas delivered the match’s only goal and all three points for the visitors.
The result was sobering for the hosts. Despite controlling large spells of the first half, Žalgiris simply couldn’t break through Hegelmann’s organized defense. Andrius Skerla’s side has now beaten coach Vladimir Cheburin nine times in a row, turning the 60-year-old Kazakh tactician into a regular victim of Hegelmann’s precise counter-attacks.
The last time Žalgiris’ current coach beat this side? Nearly two years ago, in a 4-0 home victory featuring goals from Mathias Oyewusi, Donatas Kazlauskas, Arvydas Novikovas, and Marko Miličković.
A crowd of barely 500 fans witnessed Žalgiris produce a sharp yet fruitless first half. Returning striker Liviu Antal had a golden chance from Giedrius Matulevičius’ cross, while Bruno Tavares came close with a powerful long-range effort. Both times, Hegelmann goalkeeper Vincentas Šarkauskas was up to the task.
In the second half, Leo Ribeiro brought danger for Hegelmann and Jury Kendysh for Žalgiris. But it was Serbian midfielder Lazar Kojić, one of the league’s best players, whose fearless defending prevented Kendysh from scoring.
It’s increasingly clear that Cheburin is struggling to find a settled lineup. Constant chopping and changing is sapping the team’s confidence and hurting results. Žalgiris look lost, hesitant, and flat.
Cleaning Up the Winter Mess
The season is approaching the halfway mark of the second round, and Žalgiris fans are demanding changes to fix last winter’s disastrous transfer business overseen by Vilma Venslovaitienė.
Put simply, this winter was a transfer market disaster. The arrivals of Henrique Devens and American system product Machop Chol were big missteps. So were the signings of Swedish imports Dino Šalčinović and Mohamed Youla from Sweden’s third tier.
It’s now obvious that Žalgiris’ homegrown talent is at least as good as these imports. A dreadful start to the season forced Venslovaitienė—the club’s biggest shareholder—to publicly pivot toward youth development and integrating academy players into the first team.
Is Cheburin safe in his job as a multiple-time A Lyga champion? In my view, absolutely not. The losing streak has dragged on too long. The team looks drained of belief, low on motivation, and lacking the hunger to play or enjoy football.
There’s only one way to rescue this season and keep Žalgiris in the European conversation: bring in a new head coach who can ignite belief and unity. Cheburin’s tactical systems and the lack of results raise real doubts about whether he’s the man to see out this campaign.
Equally urgent is the need for a new sporting director who can properly scout talent and rebuild this squad for European challenges.
Transfer Whispers and Departures
Motiejus Burba, who hasn’t managed to establish himself in Žalgiris’ first team, appears surplus to Cheburin’s plans. The attacking midfielder has been sent to the B team, where he’s already scored six goals and emerged as a leader. A mutual parting seems inevitable, with Banga reportedly interested.
Meanwhile, David Afonso is eager to lure Burba away from Vilnius. With Banga set to face Rosenborg Trondheim in European qualifiers, the talented playmaker could be a clever addition for a modest-budget club.
Don’t rule out Žalgiris cutting loose other failed winter signings—including Brazilian forward Henrique Devens.
Signed from Qatar’s second-tier Al Bidda, Devens has failed to impress. Maybe he’s too relaxed, distracted by supporting Vilniaus Rytas in the LKL basketball playoffs—a team he’s publicly backed—or maybe it was the birthday celebrations right before Midsummer. Either way, the former TransInvest player has scored only three goals this season.
Devens lives off chances created by others. Against better opponents, he’s become an easy target for defenders, further stifling Žalgiris’ attack. The return of Romanian striker Liviu Antal has at least injected some life into the forward line.
Recently, Žalgiris introduced two new defenders to shore up the back line: Luka Dumančič and Vasilije Radenović, both from the Balkans. Central defender Younn Zahary was expected back earlier but now appears headed for surgery, with a return unlikely before September.
The Oyewusi Dilemma
Could Mathias Oyewusi be plotting a return from Valenciennes in France? The former Žalgiris forward from Nigeria seems to have lost his scoring touch in Ligue 2 and hasn’t found the net since January. After a managerial change, the 26-year-old has fallen out of favor and is barely featuring under new boss Vincent Hognon.
Is a comeback to Vilnius realistic? Not highly, but the door isn’t completely closed. Meanwhile, several wealthier Turkish clubs have cast eyes on a player who’s netted eight goals in two Ligue 2 seasons.
Time to Get Serious
Will Žalgiris finally start acting like a professional club? Will club leadership stop penny-pinching on bonuses and instead invest in the right players—even if it costs more?
Time will tell. But one thing is undeniable: cutting corners on wages and gambling on lower-tier imports has led Žalgiris nowhere. Unless something changes fast, it may already be time to bury the dream of another A Lyga title this year.
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