Veteran fans probably remember the rivalry between CSKA Moscow and Lithuanian outfit Zalgiris from Kaunas. Well, luckily for them, these two clubs are in the same group.

“Of course some fans remember about the battles [between CSKA and Zalgiris] of the 1980s, but basically I think it’s the tournament of the future. And we are lucky to be part of it,” Gintaras Krapikas, Zalgiris Head Coach, said.

The Muscovites started slow, allowing the visitors to lead for the most part of the first half. A multitude of defensive mistakes by CSKA in the opening quarter were partly the reason for the Lithuanians’ dominance.

But then Russian forward Andrey Vorontsevich had a fantastic twenty minutes, scoring 14 points and taking CSKA to the break with a six-point lead.

Although JR Holden had a somewhat shaky start to the match, he managed to add another seven points before the interval.

After the break, nervousness left the Russian team and the fans were probably wondering by how many points their team would beat the Lithuanians.

With the difference jumping between 18 and 20 points in the second half, the score could have been devastating for Zalgiris. However, the match ended with a not-as-exceptional 90-74 victory for CSKA Moscow.

“I think it’ll be a good league for us. And it’ll help us during the season. Because it gives us another chance to grow as a team as far as playing games,” CSKA’s John Robert Holden said.

The CSKA win is a good start for the first game of the season, which is promising to be a challenge not just on the court. The financial crisis has affected the rosters of several European clubs, including the Russian ones.

Nevertheless, the VTB United League's popularity is already through the roof in Moscow, and the organizers sincerely hope that more countries will join in the years to come.