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Debut in the final of the Confederations Cup ended in failure for the "Kaunas" club. On Sunday, the Lithuanian vice champions, with a considerably reduced lineup after intense semifinal matches, had to admit the superiority of Baku's "Neftchi" - supported by a large group of their fans, they won the final with a score of 4-2 and claimed the Confederations Cup, proving to be the strongest team in Azerbaijan.
FBK 2 - 4 Baku "Neftchi"
14` [1 - 0] Mindaugas Pacevičius
34` [1 - 1] Nadir Nabiyev
37` [1 - 2] Vadim Borec
41` [2 - 2] Irmantas Zelmikas
47` [2 - 3] Branimir Subasic
57` [2 - 4] Svyatoslav Stefanov
On the eve of the match, "Kaunas" had many problems. Due to the yellow card limit in the semifinal match against Moscow's "CSKA," four defenders - Mindaugas Bagužis, Nerijus Radžius, Marius Žaliūkas, and captain Tomas Kančelskis could not help their team in the final, and due to injury, one of the team's strikers and leader Andrius Velička couldn't play. The only good news for Kaunas was that Mindaugas Pacevičius could play after a two-match suspension. However, coach Eduard Malofejev had to play with only three defenders and a fairly attacking defensive line. Meanwhile, Yerevan's "Puynik" team, after withdrawing from the semifinals, not only had no disqualified players but also had two extra days of rest.
Nevertheless, the match started off quite successfully for the Lithuanian team, and after a corner kick from M. Pacevičius, the ball ended up in the opponent's net - "Kaunas" took the lead. Later, Gvidas Juška and Audrius Kšanavičius missed great opportunities to increase the lead, and for that, the Kaunas team was punished. In the 34th minute, shortly after a fast counterattack, Nadir Nabiyev leveled the score, and a few minutes later Vadim Borec hit an excellent long-range shot into the top corner of the net.
In the 41st minute, the score was tied again when I. Zelmikas scored with a header after another corner kick, but in the final minute of the first half, he collided with an opponent and injured his nose, leaving the field - in his place, the young Georgian Akaki Khubutia entered the game.
At the start of the second half, "Neftchi" restored their lead when Branimir Subasic scored accurately after a pass from the left flank. Trailing, "Kaunas" immediately tried to strengthen their attack, and R. Beniušis came on instead of E. Pehlič, but the substitution did not pay off - in the 56th minute, A. Khubutia was sent off the field for the last foul.
Not only that, Svyatoslav Stefanov successfully converted a penalty and doubled the lead. With only ten men and two defenders, "Kaunas" continued to fight, but neither R. Beniušis nor L. Pilibaitis could hit the target. "Neftchi," who lost in last year's final to Moscow's "Lokomotiv," celebrated victory, and the Confederations Cup for the first time in the tournament's history went to an Azerbaijani team.
