Sunday brought a long-awaited Baltic League meeting between the Lithuanian and Estonian champions at Šiauliai Central Stadium.
In front of their home supporters, Gintra comfortably won 5:0 (3–0 at half-time) against Flora of Tallinn and secured a semi-final place. Their opponents will be known once every team has completed its regular-season fixtures.
Starting lineup: A. Herasymchuk (46' min. K. Galdikaitė), T. Romanovskaja (46' min. U. Grincevičiūtė), G. Knutzen, L. Kubiliūtė, S. Amorim, A. Mikutaitė (55' min. A. Šveckutė), M. Galkina, T. Brown (55' min. A. Diachenko), L. Ribeiro, K. Johnson (46' min. J. Dias), K. Pereviznyk (55' min. M. Proscevičiūtė).
Gintra: L. Kubiliūtė (25', 33' min.) - 2, G. Knutzen (18' min.), K. Pereviznyk (46' min.), S. Amorim (90' min.) one each.
Gintra dominated from the opening moments, with almost all the action in the opponents' half. Laura Kubiliūtė threatened first, and Sabrina Amorim soon tested the goalkeeper's alertness.
The opening goal, which had looked likely from the start, came in the 18th minute. Defender Gracie Knutzen headed in Tamara Brown's excellent cross for 1–0.
The yellow and blacks showed no signs of easing off and continued pressing around the opponents' penalty area. In the 24th minute, leading scorer Kristina Pereviznyk had her chance, but a defender cleared the Ukrainian's shot off the line.
Laura Kubiliūtė took her opportunity in the 25th minute to double the hosts' lead: 2–0. Artūr Sikorskij's fired-up side maintained their dominance, and L. Kubiliūtė completed her brace with an excellent header in the 33rd minute for 3–0.
Five substitutions were made at half-time, and the fourth goal followed immediately after the restart through K. Pereviznyk: 4–0.
The hosts controlled the match throughout and completed the visitors' difficult afternoon with another late goal. Sabrina Amorim headed in to seal a deserved emphatic 5–0 victory.
Match highlights:
Coach's reaction: