sports
FK Kauno Zalgiris Advances in Champions League After 4-3 Aggregate Win
The Lithuanian club defeated Drita 3-2 on Tuesday to reach the second qualifying round and secure about €1.7 million. It now faces a venue change for its home leg against KI due to a prior stadium booking.
Jul 17, 3:00 AM·1m read1 source
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FK Kauno Zalgiris advanced to the Champions League second qualifying round after defeating Drita 3-2 on Tuesday night for a 4-3 aggregate victory, The Guardian reported. The win earned the club approximately €1.7 million in prize money. The team will travel to face Faroe Islands champions KI on Tuesday before hosting the second leg on 28 or 29 July.
Zalgiris had already scheduled a Pitbull concert at its 15,000-seat Darius and Girenas Stadium on 31 July, prompting a likely switch to Jonava stadium, which holds just over 2,500 spectators. The club sought to reverse the legs of the tie, but the request is unlikely to succeed because the Faroe Islands observe St Olav’s Day national holidays on 28 and 29 July.
Another Faroese side, HB, is also set to host Motherwell in the Conference League on 30 July.
Head coach Zeljko Sopic said after the match that the team will have to move “because of a concert by some dog or somebody”. Chair Mantas Kalnietis noted that concerts generate major revenue for the stadium and residents while strengthening the club overall.
Lithuanian Football Federation president Edgaras Stankevicius called the double booking “really unfortunate” and said Jonava stadium is “nice and tidy” but still a “big difference” from the home venue.
