Former Israeli Player Bilenky Scores Hat-Trick as Zalgiris Vilnius Advances in Conference League

In a surprising turnaround in the UEFA Conference League qualifiers on July 30, Lithuanian club Zalgiris Vilnius defeated Dinamo Tbilisi 7-2 at home after losing the first leg 3-0. Leading the comeback was Stanislav Bilenky, a former player for Israeli clubs Netanya and Tiberias, who scored a hat-trick and provided an assist. Bilenky played in Israel for three and a half seasons since signing with Netanya in January 2023, having been brought to Israel from Dinamo Tbilisi by Almog Cohen.

The dramatic reversal was widely noted in the Georgian and Lithuanian media, with some calling the first-leg loss and second-leg victory "the most ridiculous thing we've seen" and praising Bilenky's decisive involvement. Local Lithuanian outlets described his powerful shots and positioning as "miraculous," highlighting Zalgiris's dominant second-half performance, which included a 6-1 run. Even after a missed penalty by Nikola Petkovicius, Bilenky helped stabilize the team.

Zalgiris Vilnius will face Hajduk Split in the next round, a strong Croatian side recently eliminated by Pafos in the Europa League qualifiers. This match marks a significant achievement for Bilenky, who has successfully transitioned back to European competition after his stint in Israel.