Žalgiris Vilnius 3-2 Banga
Žalgiris Vilnius came from behind to beat Banga 3-2 in the A Lyga regular season on Sunday. The hosts were trailing 2-1 when they turned the game around, with M. Vareika scoring the winner in stoppage time to complete a comeback that extended Banga's recent struggles away from home.
Banga took the lead early, I. Venckus equalising after Y. Kendysh had given Žalgiris the advantage in the 33rd minute. Two minutes later the visitors were ahead again as V. Magdusauskas found the net. It looked like Banga might hold on until R. Filipavicius pulled one back in the 66th minute, and that shift in momentum carried the hosts through.
And here's the thing about comebacks — they rarely happen in the last ten minutes alone. Žalgiris had been pushing since the 66th minute, but it was Vareika's 90th-minute strike that put them ahead. The goal came after several substitutions, including Venckus coming off for Olugbogi, and it felt like the home side had finally reached for their pocket after the break.
The statistics tell a story of possession without penetration. Žalgiris held 61 per cent of the ball and registered 135 attacks, yet only four shots found the target. Banga managed six shots on target from 116 attacks, with their efficiency proving decisive. To be fair, the visitors didn't need much — they took their chances and the hosts couldn't find the same sharpness.
By then, the result meant Žalgiris moved to 40 points from 25 games, staying in sixth place but closing the gap to fourth-placed Banga, who now sit on 38 points after 27 matches. The win ended a run of mixed results for the hosts, who had lost their previous two league games 4-0 and 5-2 against Hajduk Split.