2009 A Lyga

The Lithuanian A Lyga 2009 was the 20th season of top-tier football in Lithuania. The season started on 4 April 2009[1] and ended on 31 October 2009.[2] Ekranas successfully defended their title.

A Lyga
Season2009
ChampionsEkranas
5th league title
Champions LeagueEkranas
Europa LeagueSūduva
Šiauliai
Tauras
Baltic LeagueEkranas
Sūduva
Šiauliai
Tauras
Banga
Matches played112
Goals scored302 (2.7 per match)
Top goalscorerValdas Trakys (20)
Biggest home winSūduva 6-0 Kruoja
Biggest away winLKKA ir Teledema 2-7 Sūduva
Kruoja 0-5 Šiauliai
Banga 0-5 Vėtra
Highest scoringLKKA ir Teledema 2-7 Sūduva
← 2008
2010 →

Promotion and relegation

Šilutė were relegated to the I Lyga after finishing the 2008 season in last place. They were replaced by I Lyga champions Tauras.

Pre-season controversy

The Lithuanian top football division was shaken to its core after FBK Kaunas and Atlantas withdrew their participation on 20 March 2009. Both teams cited serious differences with the Lithuanian Football Federation over the way the league has been led in the past as a reason.[3] This was the second blow to the league within two weeks after Žalgiris were denied a license for this season because of excessive financial problems on 6 March 2009.[4]

As a consequence, the chairman of the National Football Clubs' Association (NFKA), Gintaras Ugianskis, resigned from his post. Further, the organization of the league was put into the hands of the LFF.[5]

The 2009 A Lyga consists of eight teams chosen from all teams of both A Lyga and I Lyga. Teams with a higher 2008 season rank had a preference to enter.[6] Clubs being interested in a participation could submit their application until 26 March 2009.[5]

On 27 March 2009, the LFF announced the three replacement teams. Banga Gargždai, LKKA ir Teledema Kaunas and Kruoja Pakruojis were appointed to the league.[1] Further, the LFF classified FBK Kaunas and Atlantas to play in the third-tier II Lyga because of "unethical conduct and other irregularities" while Žalgiris were granted a license for the second-level I Lyga.[1]

Clubs
Location of teams in the A Lyga 2009
Club Location Stadium Capacity Current manager
BangaGargždai Gargždai Stadium 800 Lithuania Vytautas Jančiauskas
EkranasPanevėžys Aukštaitija Stadium 4,000 Lithuania Valdas Urbonas
KruojaPakruojis Pakruojis Stadium 1,000 Lithuania Aidas Dambrauskas
LKKA ir TeledemaKaunas Kaunas LŽŪU stadium 1,000 Lithuania Viačislavas Novikovas
SūduvaMarijampolė Sūduva Stadium 6,260 Lithuania Gedeminas Jarmalavičius
ŠiauliaiŠiauliai Savivaldybė Stadium 2,430 Lithuania Deivis Kančelskis
TaurasTauragė Vytauto Stadium 1,600 Latvia Jurijs Popkovs
VėtraVilnius Vėtra Stadium 5,300 Lithuania Virginijus Liubšys

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Ekranas (C) 28 18 9 1 58 20 +38 63 Qualification to Champions League second qualifying round
2 Vėtra[lower-alpha 1] 28 16 9 3 55 22 +33 57
3 Sūduva 28 14 11 3 55 22 +33 53 Qualification to Europa League second qualifying round
4 Šiauliai[lower-alpha 1] 28 13 3 12 40 34 +6 42
5 Tauras[lower-alpha 1] 28 10 8 10 26 22 +4 38 Qualification to Europa League first qualifying round
6 Banga 28 7 6 15 25 49 −24 27
7 LKKA ir Teledema 28 4 3 21 19 63 −44 15
8 Kruoja 28 2 7 19 24 70 −46 13
Source: futbolas.lt (in Lithuanian)
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head goals scored; 5) goal difference; 6) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions
Notes:
  1. Vėtra were denied the UEFA license for the 2010–11 season and therefore will not represent Lithuania in the UEFA Europa League.[7] Since the finalists of the 2009–10 Lithuanian Football Cup are Vėtra and Champions League-qualified Ekranas, all Europa League spots were awarded to teams based on their league positions. Therefore, Sūduva and Šiauliai qualified for the second, while Tauras qualified for the first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League.

Results

Every team will play each other four times, twice at home and twice on the road, for a total of 28 games.

Top goalscorers

Last updated: 26 October 2009; Source: futbolas.lt (in Lithuanian)

Pos. Player Club Goals
1 Lithuania Valdas Trakys Ekranas 20
2 Lithuania Tadas Kijanskas Vėtra 11
Lithuania Mantas Kuklys Šiauliai
Lithuania Ričardas Beniušis Sūduva
5 Lithuania Egidijus Varnas Ekranas 10
6 Lithuania Povilas Lukšys Sūduva 9
Lithuania Mindaugas Grigalevičius Vėtra
8 Nigeria Israel Awenayeri Douglas Banga 8
Lithuania Igoris Morinas Kruoja
Lithuania Andrius Urbšys Sūduva

References
  1. "A lygoje "Kauno", "Atlanto", ir "Žalgirio" nebus" (in Lithuanian). www.futbolas.lt. 27 March 2009. Archived from the original on 28 March 2009. Retrieved 28 March 2009.
  2. "Paskelbtas 2009 metų A lygos sezono tvarkaraštis" (in Lithuanian). www.futbolas.lt. 30 March 2009. Archived from the original on 31 March 2009. Retrieved 30 March 2009.
  3. "A lygos likimas spręsis po savaitės, "Kaunas" ir "Atlantas" traukiasi, "Žalgiriui" vilčių yra" (in Lithuanian). www.futbolas.lt. 20 March 2009. Archived from the original on 22 March 2009. Retrieved 21 March 2009.
  4. "No exemption for legendary club (Legendiniam klubui išimtis nepadaryta)" (in Lithuanian). www.15min.lt. 7 March 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-04-09. Retrieved 11 March 2009.
  5. "Final decisions on A lyga to be made on March 27th". www.futbolas.lt. 21 March 2009. Archived from the original on 8 April 2009. Retrieved 23 March 2009.
  6. "A lygoje žaisti sutiktų bent trys I lygos klubai" (in Lithuanian). www.futbolas.lt. 25 March 2009. Archived from the original on 26 March 2009. Retrieved 25 March 2009.
  7. „Vėtra“ šiemet negalės rungtyniauti UEFA Europos lygoje (in Lithuanian)
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