by Chornomorets Odesa. 1990–2007 Following Lithuania's declaration of independence on 11 March 1990, Žalgiris left Soviet Top League with immediate effect. Despite most of the top players including Arminas Narbekovas, Valdas Ivanauskas, Igoris Pankratjevas, Vyacheslav Sukristov and Robertas Fridrikas leaving the club Žalgiris remained favorites to clinch the Lithuanian title and won A Lyga regular season having lost just once in 32 games. The championship, however, was decided by the knock-out competition where Žalgiris lost in the semi-finals to Ekranas Panevėžys and only managed to take a third place. Green and whites took their first A Lyga title the following season when they won the regular season, took the revenge against Ekranas beating them in the semi-finals and won the final against Lietuvos Makabi Vilnius 3–1 with Ričardas Zdančius scoring a hat-trick. Žalgiris completed the double later that year by winning the Lithuanian cup. The 1991 season was followed by two significant changes in league format: the knock-out competition was removed and league was reorganized to be played from autumn until spring. Žalgiris saw off the challenge from Panerys Vilnius to defend their title by a single point. There were no double in this year, however: Lietuvos Makabi took revenge for their defeat in last season's league final and beat Žalgiris in the final 1–0. In the summer of 1992, Žalgiris made their debut in the UEFA Champions League. Europe's elite proved to be merciless: PSV Eindhoven hammered Žalgiris 8–0 on aggregate in the first round. In 1992–93 season things went the other way round in national competitions: having lost the national title to FK Ekranas by three points Žalgiris reclaimed the cup, beating Sirijus Klaipėda 1–0 in the final courtesy of the extra-time goal by Aurelijus Skarbalius. A similar story happened in the 1993–94 season when ROMAR Mažeikiai narrowly beat Vilnius' side to the title while Žalgiris defended the cup by beating FK Ekranas 4–2 in the final. Darius Maciulevičius was the hero of that day scoring a hat-trick and Aidas Preikšaitis added another from the penalty spot. 1994–95 season delivered a double blow for the side from the capital. Žalgiris and Inkaras Kaunas finished the league locked on points at the top and extra match on neutral ground was set to be played. Inkaras Kaunas beat Žalgiris 2–0 in Panevėžys and four days later the same two teams met in Klaipėda for cup final. Inkaras once again came