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Despite the victory against the "Rhyl" team from Wales at home and the end of a long series of failures, Klaipėda's "Atlantas" had to withdraw from the UEFA Cup after the first stage.
3 - 2 "Rhyl" (First leg 1-2, aggregate score 4-4) 12' [1 - 0] Dainius Žernys (pen.) 32' [1 - 1] Gregory Stones 60' [1 - 2] Gary Powell 62' [2 - 2] Rimantas Žvingilas 76' [3 - 2] Rimantas Žvingilas
In this renovated "Žalgiris" stadium in the port city, "Atlantas" was missing Kazimieras Gnedojus, who was disqualified due to a red card in the first match, and striker Valdas Trakys, who temporarily represented the Russian First League club "Oriol."
The hosts started the match successfully, and in the 12th minute Dainius Žernys scored from the penalty spot against Aivaras Laurišas. Unfortunately, shortly after, Žernys complicated the situation for "Atlantas" when he was sent off by Georgian referee Lasha Silagadze for unsportsmanlike behavior.
After playing for just over half an hour, Gregory Stones equalized with a header, and an hour later, Gary Powell scored a goal from 16 meters after a counterattack. "Atlantas" was in a very difficult situation as they now needed to score three goals.
Nevertheless, the hosts did not intend to give up, and their hopes were revived in just two minutes - R. Žvingilas, who also stood out in the matches played in Wales, sent the ball into the net to equalize the score. In the 76th minute, he even turned the result in favor of his team.
However, "Atlantas" failed to score another goal. At the end of the match, tensions rose when the notorious Klaipėda club coach Vacys Lekevičius, attacked the visiting goalkeeper Gerald McGuigan for not hurrying to resume the match.
