2019 LFF I Lyga
| Season | 2019 |
|---|---|
← 2018 2020 → | |
The 2019 LFF I Lyga was the 30th season of the I Lyga, the second tier association football league of Lithuania. The season began on 22 March 2019 and finished in 27 October 2019.
Licensing process
[edit]The Lithuanian Football Federation initially granted applications for 2019 LFF I Lyga licenses: [1] FK Banga Gargždai, FK Nevėžis, FC Pakruojis, FC Džiugas, Žalgiris B, Stumbras B, Riteriai B (Trakai B).
After the appeal, on 28 February 2019 Lithuanian Football Federation granted licenses[2] to FK Vilnius (Baltijos Futbolo Akademija), FK Minija Kretinga, DFK Dainava, Vilniaus Vytis, FK Atmosfera (2012), FC Hegelmann Litauen.
The final decision on the number of teams in 2019 LFF I Lyga was made by the Lithuanian Football Federation executive committee meeting on 15 March 2019.[3] Exceptions were applied to FK Jonava (financial criteria were not met), FC Kupiškis (sporting criteria were not met) and FA Šiauliai (legal criteria were not met) and the teams were allowed to start in the 2019 LFF I Lyga championship, pending criteria to be met by June. The 16 team championship started on 22 March 2019.
The applications for the 2019 LFF I Lyga licenses were also received from FK Sveikata Kybartai, FM Ateitis and FK NFA but licenses were not granted. FK Utenis Utena shareholders voted to withdraw from participation in 2019 LFF I Lyga, and the club will participate in 2019 LFF II Lyga. FK Koralas Klaipėda was dissolved in 2018.
| Team | Town | Stadium | Capacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FK Jonava | Jonava | Jonavos miesto stadionas | 1,400 | Relegated from A Lyga. Granted participation by exception |
| FK Banga | Gargždai | Gargždų miesto stadionas | 3,250 | |
| DFK Dainava | Alytus | Alytaus miesto stadionas | 4,000 | |
| FC Džiugas | Telšiai | Telšių miesto centrinis stadionas | 3,000 | |
| FK Nevėžis | Kėdainiai | Kėdainių miesto centrinis stadionas | 3,000 | |
| FC Pakruojis | Pakruojis | Pakruojo miesto stadionas | 2,000 | |
| Riteriai B | Vilnius | LFF stadionas | 5,400 | Renamed from Trakai B |
| Stumbras B | Kaunas | NFA stadionas | 1,000 | |
| FA Šiauliai | Šiauliai | Savivaldybės stadionas | 9,125 | Granted participation by exception |
| Vilniaus Vytis | Vilnius | LFF stadionas | 5,400 | |
| FK Vilnius (2019) | Vilnius | Fabijoniškių stadionas | 340 | Renamed from Baltijos Futbolo Akademija |
| Žalgiris B | Vilnius | LFF stadionas | 5,400 | |
| FC Kupiškis | Kupiškis | Kupiškio miesto stadionas | 1,000 | Relegated from I Lyga, but granted participation by exception |
| FK Atmosfera (2012) | Mažeikiai | Mažeikių miesto stadionas | 2,500 | Promoted from II Lyga |
| FC Hegelmann Litauen | Kaunas | NFA stadionas | 1,000 | Promoted from II Lyga |
| FK Minija (2017) | Kretinga | Kretingos miesto stadionas | 1,000 | Promoted from II Lyga |
| FK Utenis Utena | Utena | Withdrew from participation in I Lyga | ||
| FK NFA | Kaunas | Dissolved as part of NFA restructuring | ||
| FK Koralas Klaipėda | Klaipėda | Dissolved in 2018 |
Participants
[edit]
Final standings
[edit]After FC Stumbras ran into financial difficulties in June the Lithuania Football Federation made a decision to withdraw their license from A lyga, and Stumbras B from I lyga.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FC Džiugas Telšiai | 28 | 19 | 4 | 5 | 58 | 23 | +35 | 61 | Promotion |
| 2 | FK Banga Gargždai | 28 | 17 | 5 | 6 | 57 | 24 | +33 | 56 | Won promotion play-off |
| 3 | Vilniaus Vytis | 28 | 17 | 4 | 7 | 74 | 31 | +43 | 55 | |
| 4 | DFK Dainava | 28 | 17 | 2 | 9 | 64 | 32 | +32 | 53 | |
| 5 | FK Nevėžis Kėdainiai | 28 | 16 | 4 | 8 | 66 | 37 | +29 | 52 | |
| 6 | FA Šiauliai | 28 | 14 | 5 | 9 | 61 | 37 | +24 | 47 | |
| 7 | FC Hegelmann Litauen | 28 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 57 | 42 | +15 | 44 | |
| 8 | FK Minija (2017) | 28 | 12 | 5 | 11 | 54 | 49 | +5 | 41 | |
| 9 | FK Jonava | 28 | 12 | 4 | 12 | 55 | 46 | +9 | 40 | |
| 10 | FC Kupiškis | 28 | 10 | 6 | 12 | 49 | 56 | −7 | 36 | |
| 11 | FK Vilnius (2019) | 28 | 10 | 3 | 15 | 56 | 53 | +3 | 33 | |
| 12 | Riteriai B | 28 | 9 | 5 | 14 | 61 | 49 | +12 | 32 | |
| 13 | Žalgiris B | 28 | 6 | 4 | 18 | 43 | 83 | −40 | 22 | Relegation |
| 14 | FK Atmosfera (2012) | 28 | 3 | 4 | 21 | 23 | 96 | −73 | 13 | |
| 15 | FC Pakruojis | 28 | 3 | 3 | 22 | 25 | 145 | −120 | 12 | |
| 16 | FC Stumbras B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Withdrawn |
FC Džiugas Telšiai earned promotion to A lyga, subject to meeting licensing criteria. FK Banga Gargždai earned a play-off with A lyga 7th placed FK Palanga.
| Promotion play-off | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg | |||||
| FK Banga Gargždai | 4 : 2 | FK Palanga | 2 : 0 | 2 : 2 | |||||
Top scorers
[edit]| # | Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2. |  José Luis Balanta
|
DFK Dainava | 19 |
| 1–2. |  Evaldas Kugys
|
Nevėžis Kėdainiai | 19 |
| 3. | Mantas Makutunovičius
|
Vilniaus Vytis | 17 |