Žalgiris step into the unknown

By Kestutis Gimbutas

Whatever the outcome of their UEFA Intertoto Cup semi-final against Romania's CFR Cluj, FK Žalgiris Vilnius have already gone further than any Lithuanian side before them.

Lithuanian first
No team from their country had reached the last four of a UEFA club competition - let alone a final - and Žalgiris are now rubbing shoulders with exalted company. Former European champions Hamburger SV and Olympique de Marseille as well as the likes of Valencia CF, Newcastle United FC and RC Deportivo La Coruña are, temporarily at least, Žalgiris's equals.

'Great company'
For club president Janušas Loputis, it has all come as a bit of a shock. "To tell the truth, we didn't expect the team to go so far in the tournament, as there are many strong clubs at this stage," said Loputis, who has been in charge for ten years. "It's a great achievement because we're in great company."

Foreign travel
Unlike their illustrious rivals, Cluj and Žalgiris are already six weeks into their Intertoto campaigns, and Žalgiris have clearly got a feel for foreign travel. A pair of 1-0 victories over Lisburn Distillery FC saw off the Northern Irish side in mid-June and earned a second-round tie against FC Dinaburg from neighbouring Latvia. A 2-0 home triumph put Žalgiris in control and they held on to advance despite falling 2-1 in the second leg.

Cluj impress
Greek club Egaleo FC were next and they paid the price for fielding an under-strength team, crashing out 5-4 on aggregate. Cluj, like Žalgiris, were not expected to get this far, but with wins against Athletic Club Bilbao and AS Saint-Etienne, the Romanian side will fancy their chances in Vilnius. Indeed, Lithuania has already proved a happy hunting ground for Cluj, who comfortably defeated FK Vetra over two legs in the first round.

Uncomplicated approach
But Žalgiris coach Saulius Širmelis is no stranger to success and will be looking to avenge Vetra's defeat. Širmelis led FBK Kaunas to three Lithuanian titles and FK Ventspils to two Latvian Cups before joining Žalgiris where his uncomplicated approach is again producing results.

'Selfless play'
"The secret of our success is the selfless play of the whole team," Širmelis said. "The team has also managed to cope with the psychological pressure." Not that Širmelis is resting on his laurels. "Our game needs to be improved," he added.

Lemežis threat
One reason behind Žalgiris's surprise run has been the form of diminutive attacking full-back Virmantas Lemežis, who has four goals in the competition already. Žalgiris's main striker Igoris Morinas missed the first two rounds through injury, but marked his return in style by scoring in each game against Egaleo as the club edged into the semis.

Excellent opportunity
The only downside of Žalgiris's profitable European adventure has been the detrimental effect it has had on their league form. Žalgiris are ninth in the ten-team top flight and still smarting from a 4-0 drubbing by leaders FK Ekranas on 14 July, their last First Division outing. They do have matches in hand, but a return to continental competition next season looks unlikely. Širmelis's side will therefore have to make the most of this opportunity, and so far, against the odds, they are doing just that.