Kauno Žalgiris remain bottom of the UEFA Conference League table following a 0-3 defeat away to Lugano. The Lithuanian treble winners are still without a point after previous losses to Brighton and Brann. Having completed a domestic treble with a 4-1 victory over Hegelmann on Saturday, Kauno Žalgiris can now direct their complete attention toward the continental competition. Meanwhile, Lugano continue to fly high and remain unbeaten this season, having won both of their prior European fixtures against Getafe and Crvena Zvezda while scoring a combined total of eight goals.
Prior to this match, Žalgiris had suffered a 0-4 defeat against Brighton and a 1-4 loss against Brann. Manager Željko Sopić made six changes following the reverse against Brann, opting for a tactical lineup featuring five defenders at the back and three players in midfield.
The match commenced with kick-off at the 0-minute mark. By the 6th minute, an excellent opportunity materialized for Kauno Žalgiris. Benchaib delivered a cross from deep that picked out Edokpolor situated on the edge of the box. Edokpolor played the ball wide to Debeljuh, who attempted to locate Kreković positioned at the far post. Although that pass was intercepted, the ball bounced perfectly back to Edokpolor closer to the goal than the penalty spot. His subsequent shot was lightly deflected by the shoulder of a Lugano defender, and no corner kick was awarded despite a brief VAR check. This sequence ultimately proved to be the best scoring chance of the entire evening for the visiting side.
The breakthrough came at the 11th minute when a goal made it 0-1. Kalik was dispossessed near the edge of his own penalty area, allowing Kendouci to poke the ball over to Dos Santos. Dos Santos sent a cross toward the far post, where an unmarked Cimignani met it with a powerful finish, leaving goalkeeper Mikelionis with virtually no chance from that proximity.
Another quick Lugano attack unfolded at the 19th minute. Dos Santos delivered a sharp pass from the wing aimed at Ajeti, who managed to get ahead of Hernández but could not quite reach the delivery.
A second goal arrived at the 24th minute to make it 0-2. Cimignani floated a deep cross that was headed against the crossbar by Ajeti. The rebound dropped favorably for captain Alioski, who waited and drove the ball high into the net off the underside of the crossbar before the Žalgiris defense could manage a clearance.
At the 28th minute, a deep ball located Dos Santos in a promising position. Mikelionis rushed out far too early, leaving the goal completely exposed, but teammate Lekiatas arrived just in time to deflect the ball behind for a corner kick.
Lugano extended their advantage further at the 32nd minute with a goal making it 0-3. Karimov located Dos Santos from deep. Dos Santos took his time, juggling his way through the Žalgiris defense while positioned between three opponents, and still managed to carve out an opening to strike a beautiful volley into the top far corner.
Near the end of the first half at the 44th minute, Karimov drove into the box independently and fired a low shot toward the far post. Hernández was covering the space, and a sliding challenge from Kalik arrived just too late, allowing the ball to travel narrowly wide.
An analysis at halftime highlighted a dominant opening period for the home team, who commanded 71 percent possession and outshot their opponents 9-2 according to UEFA figures. These statistics accurately reflected the overall flow of the contest. Kauno Žalgiris held the ultimate chance of the game in the sixth minute to claim the lead but failed to convert it. Implementing a five-at-the-back defensive shape might not represent the optimal tactical choice for Kaunas; Sopić previously utilized it during the second half against Brighton, where it functioned even less effectively than a traditional back four. Furthermore, every single shot on target from Lugano during the half was successfully converted. At the halftime interval, Kauno Žalgiris instituted a double substitution, introducing Burba in place of Kreković and the more defensively minded Karashima to replace Benchaib.
Action resumed, and the 75th minute brought the first real scoring opportunity of the second half. Grgić launched a deep cross that found Behrens, who took a touch and shot from a tight angle. Mikelionis was forced to dive low toward his far post and turned the ball behind for a corner.
The 82nd minute produced the very first shot on target for Kauno Žalgiris. Fiolić tested the goalkeeper from well outside the penalty area, but the effort posed zero threat.
At the 86th minute, Pihlström drove down the flank and delivered a through ball into the area. Behrens’ momentum carried him wide, allowing him to roll the ball perfectly to Castro, whose left-footed shot sailed high.
A full-time review indicated that Lugano significantly lowered their tempo throughout the second half. Kauno Žalgiris looked considerably more solid in the middle of the pitch following the introduction of Karashima, yet Lugano retained control at all times. The finest scoring opportunity for the visiting team remained the sixth-minute incident when Edokpolor received possession in the central area of the box; despite the slight block on his shot, it constituted a magnificent opportunity.
Looking ahead, Kauno Žalgiris are scheduled to face Riga at home in the Conference League on Thursday, 26 November. They occupy the bottom position in the standings holding a -10 goal difference, sharing the distinction of being without a single point alongside only one other side, the Andorran club Inter Club d’Escaldes. The official match summary for FC Lugano versus FK Kauno Žalgiris concluded with a 3-0 scoreline, featuring goals scored by Cimignani at 11′, Alioski at 24′, and Dos Santos at 32′.
Source: balticfootballnews.com
