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Lyga football From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2021 A Lyga, for sponsorship reasons also called Optibet A lyga is the 32nd season of the A Lyga, the top-tier football league of Lithuania. The season began on 5 March and concluded on 28 November 2021.
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Season | 2021 |
---|---|
Dates | 5 March – November 2021 |
Champions | Žalgiris |
Champions League | Žalgiris |
Matches played | 180 |
Goals scored | 493 (2.74 per match) |
Top goalscorer | Hugo Videmont (17 goals) |
Biggest home win | Kauno Žalgiris 5–0 Nevėžis (14 March 2021) |
Biggest away win | Banga 1–5 Kauno Žalgiris (25 April 2021) |
Highest scoring | Banga 5–2 Nevėžis (21 April 2021) |
Longest winning run | 7 matches Sūduva |
Longest unbeaten run | 12 matches Sūduva |
Longest winless run | 12 matches Nevėžis |
Longest losing run | 12 matches Nevėžis |
← 2020 2022 →
All statistics correct as of 29 May 2021. |
FK Žalgiris started the season as defending champions. None of the 6 last year's teams were relegated, and 4 teams were promoted to A lyga.[1]
In addition to sporting principles of promotion and relegation, the teams and clubs need to pass rigorous licensing process. Because of this, promotion and relegation does not always follow the rights achieved by sporting principle. A total of 12 teams applied for A lyga license:
The 6 previous season's teams:
Top 4 2020 LFF I Lyga teams:
Other 2020 LFF I Lyga teams:[2]
The controversial decision to drop FK Jonava and promote DFK Dainava was justified by the fact that FK Jonava have pending investigation to allegations of match fixing in the 2020 season. The LFF have issued sanctions and fines against three players and the club, however FK Jonava deny allegations of involvement in match fixing in the three matches that are being investigated and have appealed. The LFF have also revealed that a warning letter has been issued to FK Jonava in relation to the team's coach, who has been reportedly involved in match fixing in his previous career.[6][7]
FK Nevėžis (Kėdainiai), FC Hegelmann Litauen (Kaunas), FC Džiugas (Telšiai) and DFK Dainava (Alytus), the latter three teams promoted to the top-flight for the first time in their history, were promoted from the 2020 LFF I Lyga.
Club | Location | Stadium | Surface | Capacity | Seasons in A Lyga |
2020 position |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Banga | Gargždai | Gargždai Stadium | Artificial | 2,323 | 8 | 4th |
— | — | — | ||||
Dainava | Alytus | Alytus Stadium | Natural | 3,790 | 1 | 6th in LFF I lyga |
Dainava Progymnasium Stadium | Artificial | — | ||||
Marijampolė Football Indoor Arena (Hikvision FIA) |
Artificial | 2,660 | ||||
Džiugas | Telšiai | Telšiai Central Stadium | Natural | 2,400 | 1 | 4th in LFF I lyga |
Ateitis Progymnasium Stadium | — | — | ||||
Hegelmann Litauen | Kaunas | LFF Kaunas training center stadium | Artificial | 500 | 1 | 2nd in LFF I lyga |
— | — | — | ||||
Kauno Žalgiris | Kaunas | SM Tauras Stadium | Natural | 500 | 7 | 3rd |
NFA Stadium | Artificial | 500 | ||||
Nevėžis | Kėdainiai | Kėdainiai Stadium | Artificial | 3,000 | 6 | 1st in LFF I lyga |
Central Stadium of Jonava | Natural | 2,000 | ||||
Panevėžys | Panevėžys | Aukštaitija Stadium | Natural | 6,600 | 3 | 5th |
Žemyna Progymnasium Stadium | Artificial | 500 | ||||
Riteriai | Vilnius | LFF Stadium | Artificial | 5,067 | 8 | 6th |
Sportima Arena | Artificial | 3,157 | ||||
Sūduva | Marijampolė | Sūduva Stadium (Hikvision Arena) |
Natural | 6,250 | 19 | 2nd |
Marijampolė Football Indoor Arena (Hikvision FIA) |
Artificial | 2,660 | ||||
Žalgiris | Vilnius | LFF Stadium | Artificial | 5,067 | 20 | 1st |
Sportima Arena | Artificial | 3,157 |
Team | Coach | License |
---|---|---|
FK Banga | ![]() |
![]() |
DFK Dainava | ![]() |
UEFA A |
FC Džiugas Telšiai | ![]() |
UEFA B |
FC Hegelmann Litauen | ![]() |
![]() |
FK Kauno Žalgiris | ![]() |
UEFA Pro |
FK Nevėžis | ![]() |
UEFA A |
FK Panevėžys | ![]() |
UEFA A |
FK Riteriai | ![]() |
UEFA Pro |
FK Sūduva | ![]() |
UEFA Pro |
FK Žalgiris | ![]() |
UEFA Pro |
Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
FK Panevėžys | — | addition to coaching team | — | ![]() |
22 December 2020 |
FC Hegelmann Litauen | ![]() |
reassigned as goalkeeping coach | 2 January 2021 | ![]() |
2 January 2021 |
FK Sūduva | ![]() |
end of contract | November 2020 | ![]() |
3 January 2021 |
FK Žalgiris | ![]() |
resigned | December 2020 | ![]() |
11 January 2021 |
FK Riteriai | ![]() |
new manager appointed | 8 February 2021 | ![]() |
8 February 2021 |
DFK Dainava | ![]() |
resigned | 12 April 2021 | ![]() |
21 April 2021 |
FK Nevėžis | ![]() |
by mutual consent | 17 May 2021 | ![]() |
18 May 2021 |
FK Riteriai | ![]() |
end of probationary contract | 31 May 2021 | ![]() |
9 June 2021 |
FK Banga | ![]() |
sacked | 3 June 2021 | ![]() |
3 June 2021 |
FK Riteriai | ![]() |
permanent manager appointed | 3 August 2021 | ![]() |
3 August 2021 |
As soon as 2020 A Lyga season has completed, on 7 November 2020 COVID-19 quarantine was reintroduced in Lithuania,[8] and extended several times. At the beginning of February, at the time LFF were building fixtures calendar, the quarantine was set to last until 28 February.[9]
It is expected that at the beginning of the championship the matches will take place without spectators. Under the government's proposal, the matches can be attended by 100 spectators when the rate of COVID-19 infections per 100,000 inhabitants in 14 day period will drop below 50. The matches can be attended by 200 spectators when COVID-19 cases will drop below 25.[10] On 4 February infection rate was 395.3.[11]
Approaching the start date of the championship, scheduled for 5 March 2021, the clubs performed mandatory COVID-19 testing. Three clubs have reported infections among the players and their fixtures have been postponed. FK Žalgiris reported 7 positive cases of COVID-19, FK Panevėžys - 6, FK Riteriai initially did not reveal the number,[12] but it was later revealed that 19 players and staff were tested positive.[13]
The season has kicked off as scheduled on 5 March. Each team will play four matches with all other teams this season.
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Žalgiris (C) | 36 | 23 | 10 | 3 | 76 | 28 | +48 | 79 | Qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round |
2 | Sūduva | 36 | 21 | 7 | 8 | 64 | 33 | +31 | 70 | Qualification for the Europa Conference League second qualifying round |
3 | Kauno Žalgiris | 36 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 55 | 39 | +16 | 63 | Qualification for the Europa Conference League first qualifying round |
4 | Panevėžys | 36 | 16 | 12 | 8 | 55 | 40 | +15 | 60 | |
5 | Hegelmann Litauen | 36 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 53 | 38 | +15 | 53 | |
6 | Riteriai | 36 | 10 | 16 | 10 | 49 | 37 | +12 | 46 | |
7 | Banga | 36 | 10 | 6 | 20 | 40 | 71 | −31 | 36 | |
8 | Džiugas | 36 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 47 | 60 | −13 | 36 | |
9 | Dainava[lower-alpha 1] (R) | 36 | 9 | 11 | 16 | 39 | 56 | −17 | 35 | Relegation to I Lyga |
10 | Nevėžis (R) | 36 | 2 | 4 | 30 | 15 | 91 | −76 | 10 |
Home \ Away | BAN | DAI | DZI | HEG | KAU | NEV | PAN | RIT | SUD | ZAL |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Banga | — | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 5–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–3 |
Dainava | 3–1 | — | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 |
Džiugas | 1–1 | 2–3 | — | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 2–1 | 0–3 |
Hegelmann Litauen | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–3 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 |
Kauno Žalgiris | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | — | 5–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 |
Nevėžis | 0–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | — | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–3 |
Panevėžys | 4–2 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 4–2 | — | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 |
Riteriai | 3–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 2–0 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 |
Sūduva | 4–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | — | 0–2 |
Žalgiris | 2–0 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | — |
Home \ Away | BAN | DAI | DZI | HEG | KAU | NEV | PAN | RIT | SUD | ZAL |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Banga | — | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–3 |
Dainava | 3–1 | — | 3–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 |
Džiugas | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–1 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 2–1 |
Hegelmann Litauen | 4–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 |
Kauno Žalgiris | 0–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | — | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–2 |
Nevėžis | 0–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 1–1 | — | 1–3 | 0–6 | 0–3 | 1–3 |
Panevėžys | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–0 | — | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 |
Riteriai | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 1–2 | — | 1–3 | 0–0 |
Sūduva | 4–0 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | — | 2–2 |
Žalgiris | 3–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | — |
Goals | Assists | Player | Club |
---|---|---|---|
17 | 12 | ![]() | FK Žalgiris |
16 | 5 | ![]() | FC Hegelmann Litauen |
16 | 2 | ![]() | DFK Dainava |
12 | 1 | ![]() | FK Riteriai |
11 | 2 | ![]() | FC Džiugas |
11 | 2 | ![]() | FK Banga Gargždai |
10 | 5 | ![]() | FK Žalgiris |
10 | 2 | ![]() | FK Panevėžys |
10 | 2 | ![]() | FK Kauno Žalgiris |