We Are the Champions: Lithuania – 2014 A Lyga – VMFD Žalgiris

by Maxi Lozzo · 29 ottobre 2014

THE CLUB

Vilniaus Miesto Futbolo Draugija Zalgiris is one of the most important football teams in Lithuania, because they have won so far 5 Lithuanian Championships (1991, 1992, 1999, 2013 and 2014), 8 Lithuanian Cups and 3 Lithuanian Supercups: anyway they are not so dominant as one could think, because they can be often mistaken for BC Zalgiris, that is a very famous basketball team, but from Kaunas.
The histroy of the white-and-green team from Vilnius began in 1947, when Dinamo Kaunas moved to Vilnius: the club had kept the name Dinamo for one year, until 1948, when they switched to Spartakas, that was kept until 1962, when the team was finally named Zalgiris.
After the Independence from USSR, the club became a leading club in Lithuanian football, but in 2009 FK Zalgiris stopped operating; then, in order to save the name and the history of the Club, managers, directors, players and fans established VMFD Zalgiris, that started playing in 1. Lyga, the second tier, being immediately promoted to the highest division.

THE STADIUM

LFF Stadium.

Once named Vėtra Stadium, because FK Vétra was playing here, it’s situated in the Lithuanian Capital and it had been rebuilt in 2004, and renovated in 2011-2012: it can hold 5.400 people, all seated, but almost none of them covered.

UEFA COMPETITIONS

In 1988/89 and 1989/90 Zalgiris had represented URSS in UEFA Cup: then, after Lithuanian independence, they had played almost every year in European competions until 2005, when they had a 7-year-absence from Europe, that ended in 2012.
Last Season (2013/14) Zalgiris had a quite positive campaign in Europa League (out at Play-offs after eliminating St Patrick’s Athletic FC, FC Pyunik and KKS Lech Poznan, and they can complain for not being chosen to replace Fenerbahce, that had been banned: UEFA decided instead to draw a lucky loser from PO).
The most important teams faced by Zalgiris in Europe probably have been PSV, Feyenoord, Dinamo Kyiv and Red Star Belgrade.

2013/14 Europa League: VMFD Zalgiris – KKS Lech Poznan 1-0.

2014 SEASON

The Championship has been dominated, because Zalgiris has led the table since the first matchday (since the second one, if we consider that in the first match another team had a better goal difference), and has become Champion 4 matches in advance with a 13-point-lead on the second team: they have been defeated just twice so far, on MD 17 and 32.
In May Zalgiris won 2013/14 Lithuanian Cup, so they’ll also conquer 2014 Lithuanian Supercup, without playing, because they have won both the Championship and the National Cup.
In 2014/15 Lithuanian Cup, that, unlike the Championship, runs from July to May, the green-and-White club has qualified for Quarter-finals, that will be played in the next Spring.
The journey in UEFA Champions League instead ended at the first hurdle, because Zalgiris, that entered the Competition at Second Qualifying Round, was straight eliminated by GNK Dinamo Zagreb, that won 2-0 twice.

VMFD Zalgiris won A Lyga 2014 after defeating FK Ekranas 5-1 at home.

THE MANAGER

Marek Zub
He’s a 50-year-old Pole who has not had an outstanding career as a player: after retiring, he has managed mainly small teams from lower division, except one season in charge at Widzew Łódź in 2007/08, or he has been an assistant manager for bigger clubs.
In 2012 he has been an assistant coach for the Polish National Team, but, after just one month, during the Summer he quitted his job to sign for Zalgiris, with whom he has won 2 Championships, 3 Lithuanian Cups and 2 Lithuanian Supercups.

THE PLAYERS

GOALKEEPERS

Armantas Vitkauskas, 25
Aivaras Bražinskas, 23
Lukas Lidakevicius, 21

DEFENDERS

Algis Jankauskas, 32
Semir Kerla, 27 (BIH)
Mantas Fridrikas, 26
Egidijus Vaitkunas, 26
Andro Svrljuga, 29 (CRO)
Artak Yedigaryan, 24 (ARM)
Georgas Freidgeimas, 27
Aldas Korsakas, 18

MIDFIELDERS

Arturas Zulpa, 24
David Sembreras, 36 (C)
Paulius Janusauskas, 25
Vaidotas Silenas, 29
Ramunas Radavicius, 28
Rytis Leliuga, 27
Jakub Wilk, 29 (POL)

FORWARDS

Adi Rocha, 28 (BRA)
Serge Nyuiadzi, 23 (TOG)
Linas Pilibaitis, 29
Andrius Velicka, 35
Edvinas Baniulis, 17
Kristis Andreou, 20 (CYP)

The most famous players are the Captain Deividas Sembreras (35, a former CSKA Moskva, Dinamo Moskva and Lithuanian NT defender/midfielder) and Andrius Velička (a former Rangers FC striker).
Other intersting players are the full-backs Andro Svrljuga and Artak Yedigaryan (Armenian International) and the centre back Georgas Freidgeimas (Lithuanian International), while in the midfield there are Arturas Zulpa and Ramunas Radavicius, who are both part of the local NT, and the Polish Jakub Wilk (a former Lech Pozanan and Vaslul winger who can score many goals).
In the attack, besides Velicka, there are the young 19-year-old Cypriot Kristis Andreou, who looks quite promising, the Togolese Serge Nyuiadzi and the Lithuanian International Linas Pilibaitis, who started the year as midfielder.

TYPICAL LINEUP

4-1-4-1
Vitkauskas – Svrljuga, Kerla, Freidgeimas, Vaitkunas – Zulpa – Nyuiadzi, Kuklys, Sembreras (C), Wilk – Pilibaitis.

THE FANS

The average attendance during A Lyga ordinary matches is about 1.500 spectators per game, going from 1.000, or a bit less, to around 2.500 in the most important matches.
In European matches the attendance is higher, as it can be more than 4.000.
The main organized ultras Group is Pietų IV, probably the biggest one in Baltic States: it was probably founded in 1985, and it has also has supported the club during difficult moments, even collecting money: in 2009, together with the managers, they founded VMFD Žalgiris.
The main rivalry would probably be with FBK Kaunas, but they have played in lower divisions since few years ago.