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In the "Vėtra" stadium in Vilnius, the 2005 Lithuanian Football Federation Cup final match was played on Saturday. The home team, "Vėtra," faced the defending champions "Kaunas" in a fierce match and lost to the opponents after extra time.
Vilnius "Vėtra" stadium Referee - Audrius Žuta 0 - 2 102` [0 - 1] Ričardas Beniušis 118` [0 - 2] Eimantas Poderis
"Vėtra": Merlani; Žudys, Raliukonis, I.Steško, Babravičius; Sasnauskas, Butrimavičius, Litvinas (106` Sivinskij), A.Steško (75` Vaineikis); Kochanauskas (61` Vasiliauskas), Blažys
"Kaunas": Kurskis; Zelmikas, Kančelskis, Manchkava, Žaliūkas; Barevičius, Mačiulis (66` Pehlič), Pilibaitis (74` Poderis), Kvaratskhelia; Rimkevičius (46` Beniušis), Velička
From the beginning of the match, the visitors took control, and the players of the Vilnius team struggled to get closer to the opponents' goal. The first attempts by "Kaunas" were inaccurate, and in one episode, the forward A.Velička managed to lob the goalkeeper M.Merlani, but the "Vėtra" defenders cleared the ball.
As the first half neared its end, the game of "Vėtra" improved and the hosts started to play more aggressively, forcing the visiting goalkeeper E.Kurskis to work, as he rushed to the ball twice before the Vilnius team players could shoot.
After the break, the initiative was once again taken by the visitors from Kaunas, but they struggled to break through the "Vėtra" defense, and most of their shots veered wide. Neither team managed to score in regular time, so for the second year in a row, the Lithuanian Football Federation Cup final went into extra time.
In the third minute of extra time, Vilnius club striker N.Vasiliauskas had arguably the best chance of the match, shooting from a few meters away, but goalkeeper E.Kurskis blocked the shot. Soon after, S.Litvinas missed another opportunity as his shot from 12 meters flew high over the goal.
For failing to convert their chances, "Vėtra" paid the price, as in the 102nd minute the defenders deflected the ball to R.Beniušis, who scored from 8 meters with a strong and precise shot, leaving no chance for the hosts' goalkeeper M.Merlani. This goal disrupted the Vilnius team, and "Kaunas" successfully defended against the not very threatening attacks of the opponents and managed to counter dangerously themselves.
With two minutes left, after a pass from R.Beniušis in a counterattack, E.Poderis was fouled in the penalty area, and although the Kaunas team's goalkeeper saved the penalty kick, the experienced player was the first to rush to the ball and secure victory for "Kaunas" with a precise shot from the penalty area in the jubilee 60th Lithuanian Cup final.
For the "Vėtra" club, this was already the second lost cup final in their history, while "Kaunas," including their predecessor "Bangos," won four out of ten finals played. Last year, Kaunas won after a penalty shootout against Klaipėda's "Atlantas" in the final.
After the match, the best players were chosen in the awards ceremony. The best player in the "Vėtra" team was recognized as the captain Gediminas Butrimavičius, while in the "Kaunas" team, this title went to the scorer of the first goal, Ričardas Beniušis. The absolute best player of the match was recognized as the Georgian legionnaire midfielder from "Kaunas," Givi Kvaratskhelia.
