Thomas Basila’s long-awaited debut for Vilnius Zalgiris ended in disappointment as the reigning Lithuanian champions suffered a 2-1 defeat to Panevezys in their latest league outing.
Making his first start after four consecutive appearances on the bench since his arrival from Qatari side Al Mesaimeer in March, the Congolese right-back had a debut to forget.
Despite a promising start for Zalgiris, the afternoon quickly turned into a nightmare for Basila and his teammates.
The match, part of the ninth round of Lithuania’s D1 championship, began brightly for the hosts. Zalgiris seized the initiative early, opening the scoring in just the third minute.
Their dominance appeared to be growing when they doubled their advantage midway through the first half, suggesting a comfortable victory was on the horizon.
However, the tide dramatically turned. Just before the interval, Zalgiris conceded an own goal, with Basila unfortunately involved in the mishap that halved their lead.
The mistake appeared to shake the team’s confidence, and their troubles deepened after the restart. A second own goal compounded their misery, allowing Panevezys to level the match without scoring themselves.
From that point on, Zalgiris looked bereft of ideas and struggled to regain their earlier control. Panevezys capitalized on the hosts’ disarray and completed a remarkable turnaround, handing Zalgiris a third defeat in their last five matches. This is a worrying trend for the reigning champions.
Basila, who was developed at Nantes in France’s Ligue 1 and later played for Belgian club Oostende, had been hoping to make a strong impression in his first outing.
Instead, his difficult afternoon may prompt questions about his readiness and the defensive solidity of a Zalgiris side that now finds itself under mounting pressure.
The defeat leaves Zalgiris sitting sixth in the league table with 12 points, an underwhelming position for a club with ambitions of defending its title.
With form faltering and momentum slipping, the champions must now regroup quickly to avoid falling further behind in the standings.
Next up for Zalgiris is a clash against Banga on Saturday, May 3rd. Victory will be seen as essential not only to restore confidence but also to steady the ship in what is becoming an increasingly turbulent title defense.
For Basila, the coming weeks will be equally crucial. The 24-year-old will be eager to put the Panevezys performance behind him and show why the club brought him in from Qatar.
His experience in European leagues could yet prove valuable, but he will need to settle quickly and demonstrate resilience after a tough start.
While one game does not define a player’s future, the pressure on both Basila and Vilnius Zalgiris is undeniable.
With supporters expecting far better from their side, the team’s response in the next match will be closely watched. Basila’s ability to bounce back from a challenging first impression in Lithuanian football will also be under scrutiny.
