© EuroFootball.com
On Tuesday evening the Lithuanian national football team will face Bosnia and Herzegovina - the "dark horse" in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers Group G.
For Bosnia, players from various leagues are represented, with the best footballers playing in prestigious clubs in England, Italy, Germany, and some in Russia and Turkey.
The most impressive attacking line-up for Bosnia, where the indisputable leader of the team plays, includes last year's helping to win the English championship for "Manchester City" Edin Džeko (for whom the English paid almost 40 million euros) and Vedad Ibiševič from the German "Stuttgart".
These footballers are listed as two nominal forwards in the team, but this by no means diminishes their attacking potential, as many defenders also contribute to the offensive actions. Zvjezdan Misimovič (Moscow's "Dinamo") not only scores goals, but four years ago was the leader in assists in the German "Bundesliga" and helped the "Wolfsburg" team (for whom E. Džeko scored 26 goals) win the championship.
There are high hopes for Bosnia from defenders playing in Italy - the playmaker Miralem Pjanič ("Roma" club cost 12 million euros) and the versatile winger Senad Lulič.
The latter is a friend of M. Stankevičius's team, and M. Pjanič plays in the same club as Lithuanian U-19 national team goalkeeper Toma Švedkauskas. Senijad Ibričić and Haris Medunjanin, along with Žydrūnas Karčemarskas, represent the "Gaziantepspor" club.
The Bosnian defense is anchored by the 32-year-old veteran Emir Spahić ("Sevilla"). The other Bosnian defenders are significantly younger, with the more experienced being only Mensur Mujdža ("Freiburg").
The team is coached by the country's football legend, and Safet Sušić, the best foreign legionnaire in the history of the French Football Championship.
In the last two qualifying cycles, Bosnia was very close to achieving its long-awaited goal - breaking through to the final stage of the championship for the first time.
In the 2010 World Cup Qualifiers, Bosnia finished ahead of Spain in the qualifying group, and in the last European Championship, ahead of France. In the playoffs, Portugal eliminated Bosnia and Herzegovina twice (2:0 and 6:2).
In 2012 friendly matches, Bosnia defeated Wales (2:0) and lost to Mexico (1:2) and Ireland (0:1). In the qualifying matches, they crushed Liechtenstein 8:1, Latvia 4:1, and played to a draw 0:0 with Greece away.
The Bosnia and Herzegovina and Lithuania national teams will meet at 9 pm local time. The match will be broadcasted by "Lietuvos rytas" TV.
The composition of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team for the match against Lithuania:
Goalkeepers: Asmir Begović ("Stoke City", England), Ibrahim Šehić ("Mersin Idmanyurdu", Turkey), Asmir Avdukić (Banja Luka "Borac");
Defenders: Emir Spahić ("Sevilla" FC, Spain), Toni Šunjić (Lugansk "Zorya", Ukraine), Mensur Mujdža ("Freiburg", Germany), Ognjen Vranješ ("Krasnodar", Russia), Ervin Zukanović (KV "Kortrijk", Belgium), Muhamed Bešić (Budapest "Ferencvaros", Hungary), Avdija Vršajević (Split "Hajduk", Croatia);
Midfielders: Senad Lulić (Rome "Lazio", Italy), Miralem Pjanić (AS "Roma", Italy), Zvjezdan Misimovič (Moscow "Dinamo", Russia), Sejad Salihović (TSG "Hoffenheim", Germany), Adnan Zahirović (Nalchik "Spartak", Russia), Ivan Sesar (FK "Sarajevo"), Haris Medunjanin ("Gaziantepspor" FC, Turkey), Muamer Svraka ("Željezničar"), Senijad Ibričić ("Gaziantepspor" FC, Turkey), Miroslav Stevanović (Novi Sad "Vojvodina", Serbia);
Forwards: Vedad Ibiševič ("Stuttgart", Germany), Edin Džeko ("Manchester City", England).
