Žalgiris Vilnius secured their third consecutive victory in the fourth round of the Toplyga, defeating FK Sūduva 1-0. The result also handed the Marijampolė side their first defeat of the season after keeping clean sheets in their opening three league matches.
Both teams entered the match following victories in the previous round. Žalgiris defeated Šiauliai thanks to two goals from Liviu Antal, while Sūduva scored their first goals of the season in a 2-0 win over TransInvest, adding that result to two earlier goalless draws.
Žalgiris head coach Rolandas Džiaukštas selected the same starting lineup that played against Šiauliai three days earlier, while Sūduva manager Donatas Vencevičius also kept an unchanged eleven. Played in front of a maximum crowd of 3342 in attendance and on the eve of Lithuania’s Independence Day celebrations, the match began with a ceremonial pre-game atmosphere.
However, the visitors suffered an early setback. In the 15th minute, captain and defensive leader Aleksandar Živanović was forced off with a hamstring injury.
Just two minutes later, Sūduva conceded their first goal of the season. After a well-worked combination near the penalty area, the ball reached Deividas Šešplaukis, whose shot was parried by goalkeeper Ignas Plūkas. The rebound fell to Giedrius Matulevičius, who reacted quickest and scored against his former club to give the hosts the lead.
Chances were limited during the remainder of the first half. Sūduva responded with a long-range attempt that flew over the crossbar. Žalgiris thought they had doubled their lead just before halftime when Antal broke between defenders and finished a one-on-one chance, but the assistant referee signaled offside. After a brief VAR review, the decision was confirmed.
Early in the second half, Šešplaukis delivered a dangerous cross into the penalty area, where Grigore Turda won an aerial duel but directed his header onto the woodwork. Shortly afterward, Šešplaukis found Saba Mamatsashvili, who rolled the ball toward Antal, but the forward was unable to reach it.
In the 74th minute, Yuri Kendysh tested Plūkas with a powerful long-range effort, forcing the goalkeeper to push the ball behind for a corner. Emotions soon escalated on the touchline, with Sūduva head coach Vencevičius receiving a red card.
Late in the match, Ibrahima Seck produced Sūduva’s first shot on target, but it failed to trouble the home side, while Moutir Chajia saw his attempt blocked.
Žalgiris continue to build momentum with their third consecutive win, while Sūduva suffered their first defeat of the league season.
FK Žalgiris Vilnius vs FK Sūduva – 1-0 (1-0)
Goal: Matulevičius 18′
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Kauno Žalgiris |
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 12 |
| 2 |  FK Žalgiris |
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| 3 |  FK Banga |
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 6 |
| 4 |  FK Sūduva |
4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 5 |  Transinvest |
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| 6 |  Džiugas Telšiai |
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 4 |
| 7 |  FA Šiauliai |
3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 2 |
| 8 |  FC Hegelmann |
3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 2 |
| 9 |  FK Panevėžys |
4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | -7 | 2 |
| 10 |  FK Riteriai |
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 10 | -9 | 0 |
