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Three postponed matches were played on Tuesday in the Lithuanian championship. In the 20th round match, Kėdainiai's "Nevėžis" unexpectedly let go of a victory against "Vilnius" in the last minute, the 21st round meeting between Klaipėda's "Atlantas" and champions "Kaunas" was won by the home team from the port city, and in the 23rd round, Vilnius "Vėtra" defeated Panevėžys "Ekranas" and secured third place.
"Nevėžis", occupying the last position, desperately needed points to improve their position before the decisive match against "Šilutė" in the last round, but "Vilnius", demonstrating excellent form, also sought to climb up the standings. However, the game in Kaunas was started more successfully by the hosts, the "Nevėžis" footballers, and Saulius Butkus scored to put them ahead in the 37th minute.
In the second half, the temporary Vilnius strategist Ivan Švabovičius, wanting to liven up his team's game, sent Vytautas Lukša and Muller onto the field. These substitutions proved effective, but it was not the substitute players who stood out, but forward Aivaras Laurišas, for whom this was already his eighth goal in the last nine matches in the "A lyga".
However, the equal result did not last long, as in the middle of the second half, the leader of "Nevėžis"' attacks Vitalis Stankevičius scored a goal. The coach of Kėdainiai, Vitalijus Stankevičius, immediately made a couple of substitutions to strengthen his defense, but just when it seemed that "Nevėžis" would secure their fourth victory of the season, the equalizer for "Vilnius" was scored by goalkeeper Mindaugas Panka in the last minute of the match. Letting go of the victory slipped through the fingers of "Nevėžis", meaning that if the team fails to score points in the upcoming matches against "Kaunas", they will need a victory in the last round duel against "Šilutė".
By taking advantage of their opponent's stumble, Klaipėda's "Atlantas" climbed into fifth place, surpassing Marijampolė's "Sūduva", defeating the rejuvenated team from "Kaunas". The winning goals in the first half and the beginning of the second half were scored by Donatas Navikas and Martynas Karalius for the winners, while Gvidas Juška scored a consolation goal for the guests from Kaunas after playing for just over an hour.
After this victory, "Atlantas" is only one point behind fourth-placed "Žalgiris", three points behind "Sūduva", and one point behind another capital city club, "Vilnius".
Tuesday's match results:
20th round Kaunas S.Dariaus and S.Girėno stadium 2-2 37' [1-0] Saulius Butkus 51' [1-1] Aivaras Laurišas 65' [2-1] Vitalis Stankevičius 90' [2-2] Mindaugas Panka
"Nevėžis": Jazokas; Dobilas, Rimavičius, Valančius (46' Slepakovas), S.Butkus; Činikas (67' D.Adomaitis), Macianskis, Bezykornovas, Mykolaitis (75' Banys); Venckus, V.Stankevičius
"Vilnius": Semež; Grudzinskas, Mrowiec, Rodnei; Paulinho, Everton, Ražanauskas (46' Lukša), Panka, Radavičius (46' Muller); Laurišas, Wasiu (65' Adilson)
21st round Klaipėda "Žalgiris" stadium, 100 spectators Referee - Antanas Rubys 2-1 42' [1-0] Donatas Navikas 52' [2-0] Martynas Karalius 62' [2-1] Gvidas Juška
"Atlantas": Valius; D.Žutautas, Žukauskas, Mockus, Ramonas; Petreikis, Morozov (65' Žernys), Begič, Navikas; Vraneševič (46' Žvingilas), Karalius (81' Danilyuk)
"Kaunas": Hertelendi; Kančelskis, Gnedojus, A.Sanajevas, Kharitonchyk; Kšanavičius (67' Barevičius), Bajrami, Bartkus (80' Erlich), Pehlič (46' Pilibaitis); Stinga, Juška
23rd round Vilnius "Vėtra" stadium Referee - Vijūnas Vasiliauskas 2-0 64' [1-0] Darvydas Šernas 70' [2-0] Sergiy Kuznecov
"Vėtra": Žutautas; Sasnauskas, Barmoš, Preikšaitis, Usačiov; Šernas, Miloševski, Lovčev, Talancev (57' Vėževičius); Juška, Kuznecov
"Ekranas": Grybauskas; Michalčuks, Paulauskas, Klimavičius, Skroblas; Varnas (52' Saulėnas), Savėnas (55' Šlekys), Tomkevičius, Galkevičius; Kavaliauskas, Pogreban
Standings:
