Gintra of Šiauliai opened their 2026 season with a Baltic League match against Latvian runners-up RFS of Riga.
After a fluctuating contest in Panevėžys's indoor arena, the Lithuanian champions lost 2:4 (2–1 at half-time) to their opponents.
Justina Blaževičiūtė, the best young female player of 2025 and provider of both assists, was injured in the first half and had to leave the field. Further examinations will determine the seriousness of the injury.
Agnieška Kazarina returned after missing all of the previous season with a cruciate ligament injury. The midfielder came on midway through the second half.
Starting lineup: A. Herasymchuk, T. Romanovskaja, A. Šveckutė, S. Amorim, L. Ribeiro, L. Kubiliūtė, M.Galkina, K. Pereviznyk, T. Brown (43' mn. U. Grincevičiūtė), M. Proscevičiūtė (65' min. A. Kazarina), J. Blaževičiūtė (22' min. J. Dias).
Goals:
Gintra: M. Pereviznyk (2' min.), M. Proscevičiūtė (14' min.) one each.
„RFS“: V. Lavreniuk (31', 50', 52' min.) – 3, K. Petersone (95' min.) – 1.
Gintra started much better and led in only the second minute. Ukrainian Kristina Pereviznyk scored her first goal in yellow and black, and the team's first of 2026, for 1–0.
J. Blaževičiūtė was injured in a collision but tried to continue, even providing the assist for Meida Proscevičiūtė's second goal in the 14th minute: 2–0. She ultimately could not carry on and was replaced by Brazilian debutant Julia Dias.
The nominal hosts retained possession, but their opponents pulled a goal back near the end of the first half. The Šiauliai side went into the dressing room with only a narrow 2–1 lead.
Riga seized the initiative after the restart and punished Artūr Sikorskij's team with two quick goals, moving 3–2 ahead.
Despite every effort from the Šiauliai players, they could not stop the fired-up RFS side, who scored once more late on to secure victory.
Gintra next play in Estonia on 22 February, seeking their first three Baltic League points against Saku Sporting.
Match highlights and coach's reaction: