Kaunas aim for seventh heaven

By Kestutis Gimbutas

Five months after FBK Kaunas won their sixth successive Lithuanian First Division title, the 2005 season begins today and runs until 12 November.

Expanded division
For the first time since 2001, the top flight is a ten-team competition, with promoted KFK Siauliai and FK Nevézis joining Kaunas, FK Ekranas, FK Atlantas, FK Žalgiris Vilnius, FK Vetra, FK Suduva, FK Silute and FK Vilnius - the latter having been saved from relegation due to the expansion. Teams will still play each other four times, meaning the number of fixture rounds rises from 28 to 36, with the bottom side relegated and the ninth-placed finishers playing off against the second division runners-up.

Tight race
Kaunas may have retained their title and completed the double, but for the first time since 2000 their winning margin was just three points. Ekranas, six points behind in 2003, took them all the way and on the final day, the top two met in a championship decider. Kaunas prevailed 2-0 at Ekranas, Andrius Velička scoring on 57 minutes and adding an injury-time penalty.

Georgian signings
Both teams have made eve-of-season signings from Georgia, with another tight race predicted. Midfielder Givi Kvaratskhelia arrived at Kaunas from FC Tbilisi, while compatriot and defender Georgi Berianidze landed at Ekranas from FC Lokomotiv Minsk.

Žalgiris additions
Žalgiris have been busy in the transfer market, having finished fourth last term, well adrift of cup finalists and 2005/06 UEFA Cup contenders Atlantas. Latvian Saulius Širmelis, appointed as coach to replace Eugenijus Riabovas ahead of the new campaign, returned to former club FK Ventspils to recruit Slovakian forward Branislav Jašurek. Širmelis has also taken experienced midfield duo Vadim Petrenko and Marius Bezykornovas and Lithuania Under-21 defender Paulius Paknys on loan from Kaunas.

Cosmopolitan Vilnius
Third place, and the chance of European football, is the target for several clubs, not least Vilnius, who have put last season's low finish behind them by assembling the most cosmopolitan squad in the league, with four Brazilians, two Poles, two Georgians and one Cameroonian. However, they can only name three European Union players and three other foreigners in any matchday squad.