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On Sunday, the head coach of the Lithuanian national team, Algimantas Liubinskas, announced the team lineup for friendly matches with the Georgian national team. The match will take place on February 9 in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi.
In this friendly match, it was decided not to try out new players, but to focus on allowing those who have already played (or were called up but couldn't participate) in the last matches of the World Cup qualifying cycle to improve their game - hence the main team players were invited.
"It's important to see how the men look after the winter season. It's important for them to feel the team game again," said A. Liubinskas.
The coach also said that the Georgian national team was chosen as the opponent because their game is similar to that of the Bosnia and Herzegovina team, which the Lithuanians will face away on March 30.
It is worth noting that the Lithuanian football management used a similar tactic last year - friendly matches were played with Russia and Portugal, as similarities were seen between these national teams and opponents in the sixth qualifying group, Belgium and Spain, respectively. These attempts paid off, and Lithuania played quite successfully against those teams.
"We are very pleased that the Georgian Federation chose the Lithuanian national team, which can be understood as an evaluation of our level. However, we also see them as very strong opponents, these matches are important for us and in another sense - the playing tactics of the Georgians are very similar to that of the Bosnian and Herzegovinian national team, which we will meet in the first matches of the World Cup qualifying," said the chief national team strategist.
Meanwhile, Georgian coach Alain Giresse will not have his strongest lineup - injured Milan defender Kakha Kaladze, as well as Rangers players Shota Arveladze and Zurab Khizanishvili, will not be able to play.
Lineup of the Lithuanian national team for friendly matches with the Georgian national team:
Goalkeepers: 1. Žydrūnas Karčemarskas (Moscow "Dinamo", Russia) 2. Gytis Padimanskas ("Sūduva")
Defenders: 3. Marius Stankevičius ("Brescia", Italy) 4. Andrius Skerla ("Dunfermline Athletic", Scotland) 5. Tomas Žvirgždauskas ("Halmstads", Sweden) 6. Rolandas Džiaukštas ("Moscow", Russia) 7. Aurelijus Skarbalius ("Herfolge", Denmark) 8. Darius Žutautas ("Kaunas") 9. Ignas Dedura (Moscow "Spartak", Russia)
Midfielders: 10. Deividas Česnauskis (Moscow "Lokomotiv", Russia) 11. Edgaras Česnauskis (Kyiv "Dynamo", Ukraine) 12. Nerijus Barasa (Vladikavkaz "Alania", Russia) 13. Deividas Šemberas (Moscow "CSKA", Russia) 14. Donatas Vencevičius ("Vilnius") 15. Andrius Gedgaudas ("Kaunas") 16. Saulius Mikoliūnas ("Kaunas") 17. Aurimas Kučys ("Ekranas")
Forwards: 18. Edgaras Jankauskas ("Nice", France) 19. Robertas Poškus (Samara "Krylya Sovetov", Russia) 20. Tomas Danilevičius ("Livorno", Italy) 21. Tomas Radzinevičius ("Sūduva")
