Lithuania: Atlantas claim UEFA Cup spot
Saturday, November 10, 2001
Article summary
FK Atlantas's goalless draw with FK Dainava on Saturday was enough to secure second place in Lithuania’s 1. Lyga and with it a place in the qualifying round of next year’s UEFA Cup.
Article body
FK Atlantas's goalless draw at home to FK Dainava on Saturday was enough to secure second place in Lithuania’s 1. Lyga and with it a place in the qualifying round of next year’s UEFA Cup.
Dramatic finale
On a tense final day of the season, the side from Klaipeda claimed the runners-up spot behind champions FBK Kaunas ahead of third-placed FK Zalgiris Vilnius on goal difference. Valerijus Mizigurski’s goal gave Zalgiris a 4-3 win at home to FK Gelezinis-Vilkas, but Atlantas held firm to deny them a European place.
Play-off bound
Defeat ensured Gelezinis finished sixth in the league and go into the relegation play-offs where they are joined by FK Nevézis who beat FK Ekranas 2-1, thanks to goals from Tomas Sendzikas and Darius Butkus. The win for Nevézis saw them escape automatic relegation and condemn both FK Vetra and FK Sakalas – who shared a goalless draw - to second division football next season.
Derby delight
Runaway champions Kaunas rounded off the campaign in style by beating city rivals FK Inkaras 2-0 to finish 16 points clear at the top of the table. Audrius Puotkalis claimed the first goal on six minutes with the second coming from Vitalijus Danilicevas after half an hour.