For the first time in five years, a golden match will determine promotion to the top division in Lithuania as Samogitian adversaries Minija and Babrungas ready themselves for a winner-takes-all clash hosted in Gargždai on 11 November.
The concluding matchweek of the Pirma Lyga season brought intense drama on Saturday when title contenders FK Minija and FK Babrungas each triumphed in their matches to conclude the campaign level on points at the summit of the table. Minija played host to FK Garliava inside Kretinga, where the visiting squad displayed a stubborn effort in the opening half until a red card given at the 36th minute altered the game’s direction. Minija took advantage of having more players on the pitch to claim a 2-0 win.
Throughout most of the season, FK Minija maintained the top position in the league standings, but their performance dropped toward the end of the schedule following their defeat in the LFF Cup final. The team from Kretinga experienced consecutive league defeats afterward, which included squandering a 2-0 advantage at home against direct competitors FK Babrungas to fall 3-2, representing their initial home loss of the campaign.
At the same time, Babrungas went into the final matchweek as heavy favorites against FA Šiauliai B, who were already relegated, and justified their status with a 4-1 triumph. Although the senior team of FA Šiauliai got ready for their upcoming relegation play-off in the top flight, competition regulations stopped them from utilizing first-team players in this match because league guidelines mandate that senior squad members must be registered for reserve outings weeks ahead of time. Even so, the fixture acted as a perfect preparation and scouting chance for Šiauliai prior to a potential play-off meeting with the Plungė squad.
The crucial golden match is scheduled to happen in Gargždai on Wednesday, 11 November. Whichever club wins will capture direct promotion to the Toplyga for the upcoming season, whereas the team finishing as runner-up is required to contest a two-legged play-off match against FA Šiauliai to lock down top-tier placement.
SOURCE NAME: balticfootballnews.com
Source: balticfootballnews.com
