© EuroFootball.com
After the end of Lithuanian clubs participating in European Cup tournaments, the "A Lyga" championship is starting to pick up speed again. In the 22nd round matches on Saturday, the league leader Panevezys "Ekranas" lost points in Vilnius against "Vetra", while "Vilnius" and "Kaunas" secured easy victories. Recently, the rising Vilnius "Vetra", broke through in the 13th minute on the rain-soaked home stadium field by defeating the "Ekranas" goalkeeper A. Skrupskis when the hosts' defender N. Sasnauskas scored. The "Vetra" tried not to give in to the impressive "Ekranas" this season, but the guests were saved from defeat by one of the team's leaders, captain M. Savenas, who sent the ball into the Vilnius team's goal with a beautiful strike, leveling the score. This defeat was exploited by the defending champions "Kaunas", who for the first time were led by the new head coach I. Pankratjevas, who convincingly defeated "Silute" away and reduced the gap from the leader to 16 points. Two goals were scored by Kaunas players E. Poderis, and one each by the young A. Rimkevicius and L. Pilibatis, while the hosts' R. Smitas scored only once. "Vilnius" climbed to the fourth position, crushing the still undefeated Kedainiai "Nevezis". Vilnius, playing with ten after the expulsion of the team's coach V. Vaskunas in the 41st minute, only broke the remaining opponents three times in the second half - the tenth goal in the championship was scored by M. Panka for the capital club, while N. Astrauskas and R. Radavicius scored one goal each. In one round match on Thursday, Marijampole "Suduva" missed the opportunity to get closer to "Vetra" by playing a draw with "Siauliai", while the last matches of the fifth round will take place on Sunday - Vilnius "Zalgiris" will host Klaipeda "Atlantas". Results of the 22nd round matches on Saturday: Kaunas S. Darius and S. Girenas Stadium, 100 spectators 0 - 3 51' [0 - 1] Mindaugas Panka (11m.) 54' [0 - 2] Nerijus Astrauskas 70' [0 - 3] Ramunas Radavicius "Nevezis": Jazokas; Rabikauskas, Klimakovas (57' Petrusevicius), Kvitatiani (65' Janusevskis), Jurevicius; Juknevicius, Adomaitis, Kestenis, Vaskunas; Cinikas, V. Stankevicius "Vilnius": Kijewski; Artiomovas, Sokolovas, Kazlauskas, Jagminas (88' Ivanov); Panka, Radavicius, Katsitadze, Luksa; Brazauskas (78' Jersovas), Astrauskas (70' Bakalag) Silute Central Stadium, 400 spectators Referee - Vijunas Vasiliauskas 1 - 4 40' [0 - 1] Eimantas Poderis 43' [0 - 2] Arturas Rimkevicius 48' [1 - 2] Robertas Smitas 65' [1 - 3] Eimantas Poderis (11m.) 76' [1 - 4] Linas Pilibaitis "Silute": Normantas; Jegelavicius, Khubutia (46' Butkus), Garliauskas, Leikus; Andriekus, Judickas, Kazlauskas, Zubavicius (46' Juska), Smitas; Podelis (46' Vicius) "Kaunas": Kilijonas; Manchkava, Kijanskas, Pacevicius, Kunevicius; Papec...
