© EuroFootball.com
Based on A league players, the Lithuanian B national team will test themselves at the international level. National team coaches are preparing to give footballers a chance to demonstrate their skills in friendly matches with the Saudi Arabian youth team. "The goal is to test all players," said national team coach Raimondas Žutautas.
19 footballers went to Austria, two of them are foreign-based players. 21-year-old defender Eivinas Zagurskas from the "Bogdanka" club in Lenčnos (Poland) said that he always travels with great joy to represent his country.
Former Lithuanian youth team member had the opportunity to meet with old friends during the camp, which is difficult to do when starting a career abroad. However, the player noted that the most important thing is to make a good impression on the national team coaches.
"Players know they have been given a chance to prove their worth. I think they cannot miss such an opportunity and they need to make every effort during the camp. Especially since this time the camp is held abroad and we will compete against another country's team," said E. Zagurskas.
Forward Arsenijus Buinickis also dreams of his debut in the national team. The 26-year-old player admitted that a few years ago he considered whether to continue his professional football career.
Deciding to do so, last year he became the top scorer in the LFF I league and attracted the attention of national team coaches, scoring goals this season in the A league for Alytus' "Dainava."
"I am very pleased to have received an invitation to these friendly matches. I believe that in the future I can debut in the main national team. I would like this to happen as soon as possible. I think that if you want something, you can achieve it through great effort. You just need to continue to work hard and strive," said A. Buinickis.
Preparing to evaluate the abilities of all players, the Lithuanian B national team delegation settled in the small town of Loipersdorf, about 200 kilometers south of the capital Vienna, known for its healing resorts and fresh air. The Austrian weather did not favor the footballers this time - they had to train on a rain-soaked pitch.
Head coach Raimondas Žutautas assured that they will not only aim for results and would like to see all 19 footballers on the field during the friendly matches.
"It is already clear that both goalkeepers will have a chance to prove their worth. It will be interesting to see Eivinas Zagurskas who played in Poland. Marius Papšys is currently in good sports form, and I expect more from him than others. Tadas Eliošius also leaves a good impression, progressing particularly strongly. We would like to see how the other national team players will look against a strong opponent," said the coach.
The Saudi Arabian U-20 national team also played friendly matches with representatives of Belarus and Macedonia last week, both ending in draws (0:0 and 1:1). The national team coaches, joined by U-21 national team strategist Vitalijus Stankevičius for these control matches, were preparing to review both duels, and they formed their first impression from their Belarusian neighbors.
"They said that Saudi Arabia is a mobile team with good connections between the lines, well-coordinated. This team has been training for several weeks and is intensively preparing for the final stage of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia. Therefore, the match will definitely not be easy," explained R. Žutautas.
The match between the Lithuanian national B team and the Saudi Arabian U-20 national team will take place today at the Ilco Stadium and will start at 6 PM local time.
