2020 LFF I Lyga

The 2020 LFF I Lyga is the 31st season of the I Lyga, the second tier football league of Lithuania. The season was planned to begin in March, but was delayed to June because of COVID-19 pandemic. The season finished on time on 31 October.

I Lyga
Season2020
← 2019
2021 →

Teams

Team changes

The last-placed A Lyga team is normally relegated to I Lyga. Since FC Stumbras had gone out of business in July 2019, no team was relegated from A Lyga in 2019. The 7th placed team in A Lyga contests a play-off match with 2nd placed I Lyga team. In this play-off match FK Banga Gargždai beat A Lyga side FC Palanga to claim a spot in the A Lyga.

Decrease Demoted to II lyga
FC Palanga
FK Atlantas (from A lyga to II lyga)
FC Kupiškis

Licensing Process

Ultimately, the licensing process determines clubs eligibility to contest in the respective league in Lithuanian football.

At the end of 2019 A Lyga season, a match fixing investigation was launched after irregular betting patterns were reported. In December 2019 the results of the investigation were published, resulting expulsion of FK Atlantas and FC Palanga from A Lyga, and their demotion to II Lyga. The clubs appealed, but their appeals were rejected. The clubs attempted to license to I Lyga, but the decision to demote the clubs to II Lyga stood ground.[1][2]

With reduction of numbers in A Lyga, several I Lyga clubs attempted to leapfrog into promotion to A Lyga. DFK Dainava, Vilniaus Vytis and FC Hegelmann Litauen have applied for A Lyga license. FC Hegelmann Litauen later withdrew their application, while DFK Dainava and Vilniaus Vytis had their applications rejected. FC Džiugas, last season's I Lyga winners application was also rejected failing to meet several criteria. FK Banga Gargždai was the only I Lyga club that successfully licensed to A Lyga. Three of the four other applicants, FC Džiugas, DFK Dainava and FC Hegelmann Litauen I Lyga licenses were automatically approved. Vilniaus Vytis failed to meet I Lyga licensing criteria, and license was not issued even after the appeal. However, the club was granted an exception with a condition that the club reaches certain milestones by 9 March. Vytis will start the season with 3 point penalty.[3][4]

In February 2020 further match fixing investigation results were published. As a result, FC Kupiškis was fined and expelled from I Lyga.[5]

Other I Lyga teams FK Nevėžis, FA Šiauliai, Baltijos Futbolo Akademija (which split up from partnership with FK Vilnius (2019)), FK Minija (2017), FK Jonava , Riteriai B renewed their licenses successfully, although FK Nevėžis needed to go through the appeal process. Successful licensing to I Lyga was awarded to FK Atmosfera (2012) and Žalgiris B as well, despite their results suggesting relegation to II Lyga.[6]

Three II Lyga teams licensed successfully to I Lyga - II Lyga Southern Group winners Kauno Žalgiris B, as well as 4th placed Panevėžys B and 13th placed Sūduva B. Other II Lyga teams that sought I Lyga licenses were FK Aukštaitija and the II Lyga Western Group winners FSK Radviliškis. The licensing criteria were not met and the promotion was not granted. FK Aukštaitija asked to grant an exception to participate without a license, but this request was rejected as well.

III Lyga (Klaipėda`s zone) side FC Sakuona Plikiai have also attempted to license, but later withdrew their application.

Only FC Pakruojis have dropped out of the I Lyga, along with Stumbras B which had gone out of business.

Participants
Home towns of the 2020 I Lyga teams
TeamTownStadiumCapacity
FK AtmosferaMažeikiaiMažeikių miesto stadionas2,500
Baltijos Futbolo AkademijaVilniusŠirvintų stadionas500
DFK DainavaAlytusAlytaus miesto stadionas4,000
FC DžiugasTelšiaiTelšių miesto centrinis stadionas3,000
FC Hegelmann LitauenKaunasNFA stadionas1,000
FK JonavaJonavaJonavos miesto stadionas1,400
Kauno Žalgiris BKaunasKauno Žalgirio FA stadionas500
FK MinijaKretingaKretingos miesto stadionas1,000
FK NevėžisKėdainiaiKėdainių miesto centrinis stadionas3,000
Panevėžys BPanevėžysŽemynos progimnazijos stadionas500
Riteriai BVilniusLFF Stadium5,400
FA ŠiauliaiŠiauliaiŠiaulių stadionas9,125
Žalgiris BVilniusLFF Stadium5,400
Vilniaus VytisVilniusLFF Stadium5,400

Season progress

The Lithuanian Football Federation announced that top four teams will qualify for promotion to A Lyga next season.[7] The reserve teams are not eligible for promotion.

Originally, the first round was scheduled for 21 March, and the final round to be played in October. Due to the COVID-19 virus pandemic the start of the championship was postponed. The first round took place on 5 June, and the last round took place on 31 October.

On 10 April the decision was taken to make changes to the format of the championship this year. The competition will take place in a form of one-and-a-half round system. In the first round all teams would play with each other. In the second round the teams would split into two groups. In the top group, the teams positioned 1-8 would play with each other, competing for promotion. The teams in the bottom group, positioned in positions 9-14 would continue the relegation fight. By shortening the calendar and by giving up a longer summer break the season will end by November as planned. As originally planned, the first four teams will win the right to advance to the A league in the following season. In case of refusal or ineligibility of some teams (such as reserve teams), only the teams in the top 8 positions will be allowed to seek promotion to the A league.[8] The two bottom teams are liable for relegation.

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Jonava 13 9 4 0 28 11 +17 31 Qualification for Promotion Round
2 Nevėžis 13 10 1 2 34 9 +25 31
3 Džiugas Telšiai 13 9 3 1 28 11 +17 30
4 Hegelmann Litauen 13 8 4 1 24 6 +18 28
5 Vilniaus Vytis 13 8 3 2 26 17 +9 27
6 Dainava 13 7 1 5 20 12 +8 22
7 FA Šiauliai 13 7 1 5 30 18 +12 22
8 Panevėžys B 13 5 2 6 25 25 0 17
9 Žalgiris B 13 5 2 6 24 25 −1 17 Qualification for Relegation Round
10 Minija 13 3 2 8 19 30 −11 11
11 Atmosfera 13 3 1 9 10 26 −16 10
12 Kauno Žalgiris B 13 2 0 11 13 36 −23 6
13 Baltijos Futbolo Akademija 13 2 0 11 11 40 −29 6
14 Riteriai B 13 0 2 11 9 35 −26 2
Updated to match(es) played on 7 August 2020. Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Play-off (only for deciding promotion); 3) Head-to-head points; 4) Head-to-head goal difference; 5) Head-to-head goals scored ; 6) Matches won; 7) Goal difference; 7) Goals scored;

Promotion round and Regulation round League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Nevėžis (P) 20 15 3 2 46 12 +34 48 Promotion to the 2021 LFF A Lyga
2 Hegelmann Litauen (P) 20 14 4 2 39 12 +27 46
3 Jonava (P) 20 12 5 3 38 19 +19 41
4 Džiugas Telšiai (P) 20 11 5 4 34 19 +15 38
5 FA Šiauliai 20 10 2 8 42 27 +15 32
6 Dainava 20 10 2 8 28 19 +9 32
7 Vilniaus Vytis 20 9 3 8 35 38 −3 30
8 Panevėžys B 20 6 3 11 34 44 −10 21
9 Žalgiris B 18 7 3 8 33 32 +1 24
10 Minija 18 6 3 9 33 38 −5 21
11 Kauno Žalgiris B 18 5 1 12 21 41 −20 16
12 Atmosfera 18 4 3 11 20 38 −18 15
13 Baltijos Futbolo Akademija 18 4 2 12 20 48 −28 14
14 Riteriai B 18 0 3 15 14 50 −36 3
Updated to match(es) played on 10 November 2020. Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Play-off (only for deciding promotion); 3) Head-to-head points; 4) Head-to-head goal difference; 5) Head-to-head goals scored ; 6) Matches won; 7) Goal difference; 7) Goals scored;
(P) Promoted

Top Scorers

Data at the end of the season 31 October 2020

# Player Team Goals
1. Evaldas Kugys FK Nevėžis Kėdainiai 16
2. Rokas Gedminas FA Šiauliai 14
Meinardas Mikulėnas Žalgiris B
4. Aretas Gėgžna FK Nevėžis Kėdainiai 11
5. Joao Pedro Ferreira da Silva FK Minija 10
6. Eimantas Abramavičius Panevėžys B 9
Vilius Armanavičius FC Hegelmann Litauen
Ernestas Stočkūnas DFK Dainava
9. Dovydas Arlauskis FC Džiugas Telšiai 8
Ibrahima Sory Soumah Vilniaus Vytis

See also

References
  1. "2020 m. sezono I lygos licencijų sieks 14 futbolo klubų ir komandų". LFF. 2020-02-19. Retrieved 2020-02-26.
  2. "FK "Atlantas" ir FK "Palanga" dėl manipuliavimo rezultatais yra šalinami iš A lygos". LFF. 2019-12-05. Retrieved 2020-02-26.
  3. "Įsibėgėja A ir I lygos klubų licencijavimo sezonas". LFF. 2020-01-13. Retrieved 2020-02-26.
  4. "Licencijavimo komitetas išdavė I lygos licencijas 13 klubų ir komandų". LFF. 2020-02-19. Retrieved 2020-02-26.
  5. "Dėl manipuliavimo rezultatais FC Kupiškis šalinamas iš I lygos". LFF. 2020-02-11. Retrieved 2020-02-26.
  6. "Apeliacinio licencijavimo komiteto sprendimai dėl I lygos licencijos pareiškėjų apeliacijų". LFF. 2020-02-25. Retrieved 2020-02-26.
  7. "Vykdomojo komiteto posėdžio metu patvirtintas I ir A lygų komandų skaičius". LFF. 2020-02-26. Retrieved 2020-02-26.
  8. "Dėl COVID-19 pandemijos įvyko pokyčių LFF organizuojamų varžybų nuostatuose". LFF. 2020-05-22. Retrieved 2020-05-22.
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