Žalgiris 7–2 Dinamo Tbilisi | UEFA Europa Conference League Qualifying | Second Leg

Žalgiris produced a stunning second-leg performance at home, dismantling Dinamo Tbilisi 7–2 to advance through their Europa Conference League qualifying tie in emphatic fashion. Andrius Skerla's side delivered one of the more dominant displays in recent Lithuanian European football, turning the Vilnius ground into a showcase of clinical finishing and relentless attacking intent.

Match Analysis

The opening exchanges were relatively controlled, but Žalgiris broke the deadlock on 25 minutes when Stanislav Bilenkiy converted, assisted by Paulius Golubickas. Dinamo Tbilisi responded before the break, with Leonardo dos Santos Lopes da Silva drawing the visitors level at 1–1 on 40 minutes — a moment that briefly suggested the Georgian side could make this a contest. However, that equaliser came at a cost: the Brazilian-born midfielder was booked immediately afterwards for a foul, picking up his second card of the half's bookings narrative.

The second half told an entirely different story. Within two minutes of the restart, Žalgiris effectively broke Dinamo's resistance. Nikola Petković struck on 59 minutes — assisted by Dominik Franke — and just two minutes later Bryan Silva Teixeira made it 3–1, with Petković turning provider this time. The rapid double blow visibly deflated Temur Ketsbaia's side.

Dinamo Tbilisi did pull one back through Mate Vatsadze on 72 minutes, assisted by Numan Kurdić, cutting the deficit to 3–2 moments after coming off the bench. But the response from Žalgiris was instant and brutal. Petković netted his second of the game on 73 minutes, assisted by Deividas Šešplaukis, restoring the two-goal cushion before the visitors could find any momentum. Bilenkiy then bagged his brace on 82 minutes — assisted by Petković — before substitute Nemanja Mihajlović added a sixth on 88 minutes, with Bilenkiy repaying the favour as provider. In stoppage time, Bilenkiy completed his hat-trick on 90 minutes, assisted by Bryan Teixeira, to seal a remarkable 7–2 scoreline.

The statistics underline Žalgiris's total control. They dominated the dangerous attacks category 86 to 38, registered 19 total shots to Dinamo's 14, and held 54% possession. Crucially, their shot accuracy was far superior — 8 shots on target versus just 2 for the visitors. Dinamo registered zero corners throughout the match, a remarkable illustration of how thoroughly Žalgiris contained them in wide areas.

The disciplinary picture was lively, with both sides collecting multiple yellow cards — five for Dinamo Tbilisi, four for Žalgiris — reflecting the competitive edge that persisted despite the scoreline.

Prediction Review

Our pre-match forecast called for a 1–0 Žalgiris victory, with a home win probability of 49% and a confidence rating of 61/100. The direction of the prediction was correct — Žalgiris did win — earning a successful outcome overall. However, the magnitude of the victory far exceeded the model's expectations. A seven-goal haul was not foreseen, and the defensive vulnerabilities on the Dinamo side, combined with the individual brilliance of Bilenkiy (hat-trick) and Petković (two goals, multiple assists), produced a scoreline that belonged in a different category entirely.

Takeaways

• Stanislav Bilenkiy was the standout performer, scoring a hat-trick and providing an assist — a match-defining display.
• Nikola Petković was equally influential, netting twice and setting up two further goals before being withdrawn late on.
• Žalgiris advance from this tie with significant momentum and a statement made to potential Conference League opponents.
• For Dinamo Tbilisi and coach Temur Ketsbaia, the second half represents a