Ivanauskas steps down at Kaunas

Eugenijus Riabovas has replaced Valdas Ivanauskas as coach of FBK Kaunas on an interim basis as the Lithuanian First Division champions look to improve on a poor start to the season.

'Not satisfied'
"We're not satisfied with the results or the way the team is playing," explained Kaunas chairman Gintaras Ugianskis. The club's hopes of winning a seventh successive title were hampered by two defeats in their first five matches, and they already trail early leaders FK Ekranas by six points. In a bid to reverse the trend the 38-year-old Ivanauskas made way for Riabovas last week and Kaunas responded with a 4-0 victory against FK Žalgiris Vilnius on Saturday.

Ivanauskas success
Ivanauskas, who is an assistant to Lithuania coach Algimantas Liubinskas, will remain with Kaunas in a capacity yet to be decided. He joined the club from FK Vetra midway through last season, leading Kaunas to a domestic league and cup double. Riabovas, 54, joined Kaunas prior to the start of the season after a lengthy spell at Žalgiris, initially taking charge of Kaunas's feeder club FK Kauno Jageriai.