"Žalgiris" head coach Valdas Urbonas participated in the celebration of the "Žalgiris" football players in the dressing room after the match with the "FC Vaduz" team, and then walked around the "Rheinpark" stadium square for a long time. "I wanted to experience the great football atmosphere, feel those emotions, and understand what we have achieved," explained the football specialist.
The second leg match against "FC Vaduz" in the UEFA Europa League second qualifying round ended in a draw, but this result was enough for "Žalgiris" to advance to the next round. According to V. Urbonas, the overall result is the most important. "I am glad that we achieved a good overall result and advanced to the next round of the Europa League qualifiers. Because the overall result is the indicator of all our work," said V. Urbonas. "The match itself was not easy, as two equal and worthy teams met. In the first half, our situation would not have been so bad if we had taken better advantage of the chances we created. Because there were opportunities, but we failed to convert them into goals. Of course, the opponents also offered us an interesting tactical scheme to which we were not prepared. We wanted to defend neatly and concentrated, not allowing the opponents to gain an advantage, but they were able to create a quantitative advantage in one or another part of the field due to good movement, coverings, and strong individual play. Their passes from the flanks to the center constantly posed a threat to us. We managed to defend several times, but eventually there were gaps in defense and the opponents took advantage of that.
After the first half, we made some adjustments, and the opponents' activity decreased because they simply could not maintain the high tempo throughout the whole match that they offered us. They pulled back a bit, and we moved forward, and I am glad that we finally found an opportunity to score a goal. Even after that, there was no shortage of tension near our goal, we saw how dangerous the opponents could be during set-piece situations, but I am glad that we managed to finish the match with a favorable result. Džiugas Bartkus played superbly, all the players on the field fought selflessly, and with dedication and fight, we were able to maintain that fragile lead.
I want to thank the men who with their dedication and fight proved that they are worthy to continue their performance in the Europa League Qualifiers."
During the second leg, the further journey of Žalgiris in the Europa League qualifiers was in doubt as the hosts were leading 1:0. However, after the break, "Žalgiris" changed the course of the game, and an impressive goal by team captain Tomaš Šimkovič opened the doors to the next round for the team from the Lithuanian capital. "We were looking for solutions because we knew that the opponents had nowhere to go, as they needed to attack, score a goal. True, we certainly did not want to retreat deeply into defense; we planned to simply close certain spaces, block their attacks. Initially, this went well for us, but then we allowed the opponents to gain momentum and they even took the initiative, gaining a psychological advantage. But in the second half, we returned to our tested tactical schemes, the way we always play - and it paid off. Perhaps T. Šimkovič's shot seemed strange at first, but the most important thing is that the ball at least crossed the goal line," said V. Urbonas.
In the third qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League, Žalgiris will face the Spanish football giants - Sevilla team. "I think passing two rounds and defeating the Faroe Islands and Liechtenstein teams is what was expected of us. However, if we had lost to such opponents, we would definitely have remained misunderstood and there would have been a lot of stones thrown into our garden," admitted V. Urbonas. "And now we are at a stage where we can simply enjoy football. I want the players to relax and make the most of the upcoming matches against Sevilla to feel the pleasure of great football. I believe that the arrival of such a club to Lithuania is already a great achievement. How we will fare, what awaits us - those are different questions. I see only positivity in that we will have the opportunity to meet such a caliber club. However, not everyone is granted that, even in friendly matches, you will not face such teams on your way, as we are still not in those weight categories."
"Žalgiris" head coach did not forget the fans who actively supported the team in Liechtenstein. "I can only express my utmost respect for the people who find the opportunity to come and support their team, no matter where they play. Especially today they were both seen and heard, their support was very strong and necessary for us. Fans attending away matches are an additional incentive for the players because it shows that they care about the community, they care about people. I am pleased that representatives of the "Southern IV" community were in Liechtenstein, the core. I sincerely thank them for their support and congratulate them on advancing to the next round of the Europa League qualifiers! The Europa League adventure continues," concluded V. Urbonas.
The first leg match against the Sevilla club will take place on August 9, and the second leg match in Vilnius will be held on August 16.
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