V. Čeburinas and G. Matulevičius celebrated a dramatic victory against ‘Džiugas’.

2024-08-19 06:45 © Elvio Žaldario

"Žalgiris” coach Vladimir Čeburinas and midfielder Giedrius Matulevičius spoke about the tough battle and sudden problems after the match with "Džiugas.”

In the match against "Džiugas,” the Vilnius team conceded the first goal, but later scored twice and won 2:1. The "Žalgiris” team fought for their second consecutive victory despite unfavorable circumstances - they had to play three times in seven days, and in the days leading up to the match, the team not only lost Paulius Golubickas due to a serious injury but also had to deal with illnesses before the game.

"We thank the fans. The weather wasn’t great for the spectators. At 4 PM on Sunday, only the most loyal, true football lovers can come out in such weather. It was hot for both teams. It was hot on the field. We started really well. We created chances and threatened the opponent's goal. The opponent also created good opportunities. We scored goals. There was a lot of fighting, a lot of stress on the field. A missed penalty – not good. Although we earned it. Maybe we got a bit scared; we don’t score penalties often. It’s good that we scored and won anyway. There is a lot to work on. Bravo to the players. Almost half of the team played after being ill or despite it. The virus went through us. But some played the whole match today,” said V. Čeburinas.

In the first half of the match, "Džiugas” scored first and had more chances to score. In the second half, they managed to extinguish the opponent’s attacks more successfully.

"We talked before the game that the opponents play defensively against us and rely on quick counterattacks. Today’s match was no exception. "Džiugas” has a uniqueness compared to others. They are very well-prepared for such a battle. We allowed them to create three chances too easily in just a few minutes. We talked about needing to focus more. Everything is about small details. A lost ball, a delayed reaction… And then it just happens,” evaluated V. Čeburinas.

"We were behind for the first time. It’s nice that we turned the score around and won. During halftime, we talked about needing to move the ball calmly and quickly, move more without the ball, look for free spaces, and finish our attacks,” said G. Matulevičius. "There are no easy matches. We played our third match in a week. As I said, there were health issues in the team. This wasn’t visible on the field. It’s great that we won despite that. Every victory adds confidence. We are getting ready; the next matches are the most important.”

When asked about P. Golubickas’s health and how he plans to replace him, V. Čeburinas replied: "Paulius was already in the locker room today, a great guy. He loves football, and football loves him. We have an academy; young players are already training with us. We have some good talented guys. Others have been training for a long time. But there are problems – Patrikas Matyžonokas has a micro-injury. Jansonas and Šetkus just returned after illnesses. One came back just a week ago, and the other a few days ago. So they are not fully ready yet. We have youth players who can support us. Perhaps we will see them on the field soon.”