© EuroFootball.com
UEFA U-17 (born in 1995 and younger) championship "Elite" qualifying stage debuted Lithuanian youth national team in the second match after a unsuccessful start had to acknowledge the 1:3 superiority of the group favorites Danish players.
All three goals in the match with the group favorites, the semifinalists of the previous championship Danes, the Lithuanians missed in the first 25 minutes.
"Already in the second match we fail to start the match. It seems that the boys are burdened by great responsibility, the authority of the opponents, a kind of tension," said U-17 national team coach Antanas Vingilys.
Different halves
The first goal fell already in the fifth minute of the match with the first shot towards the goal. With a high trajectory, the player managed to get the ball past the goalkeeper.
In the 25th minute, the Danes scored again after a corner, and shortly after the pass from the side, without hitting the ball to the Lithuanian defenders, they scored another goal.
"All three goals - simple and even incomprehensible mistakes after such episodes, which do not pose a danger in other matches," said coach A. Vingilys, not hiding disappointment and amazement.
After the break, the Lithuanians stood up and there was an even battle on the field. In the 73rd minute, our team managed to reduce the deficit. Defender Deimantas Petravičius scored from the penalty kick. The match ended with a Danish victory 3:1.
Thinned defense
In these matches, the Lithuanians had to play without the team captain, defender Julius Aleksandravičius - he was disqualified for receiving a second yellow card in the tournament. Two more players played despite injuries.
"We really missed Julius. He compensates for that excitement with his abilities and experience. Another defender Edvinas Dambrauskas practically played injured and he didn't do well. Defender Skirmantas Rakauskas cannot play at full strength yet, and he only entered the field at the very end when a substitution was needed," explained A. Vingilys.
In another match, the Icelandic team defeated the host Scotland 1:0. After two matches, Iceland and Denmark have collected four points each, while Scotland has three. In the last match on Sunday, the Lithuanians will test their strength against Iceland.
Match statistics
U-17 Denmark - U-17 Lithuania 3:1 Referee - Johnny Casanova (San Marino) Somerset Park stadium Goals: 5 min. Marcus Mathiasen, 25 min. Jacob Andersen, 26 min. Viktor Nielsen (Denmark); Deimantas Petravičius (Lithuania) Yellow cards: 33 min. Viktor Nielsen (Denmark), 47 min. Vykintas Slivka (Lithuania)
Lithuania: Marius Suvaizdis, Edvinas Dambrauskas (45 min. Aivaras Meškinis), Lukas Pangonis, Justas Raziūnas, Erikas Skripkinas (80+4 min. Rolandas Baravykas), Tomas Dombrauskis, Tadas Lekeckas, Vykintas Slivka (80+1 min. Skirmantas Rakauskas), Gabrielius Judickas, Deimantas Petravičius, Simonas Stankevičius. Substitutes: Edgaras Jonaitis, Kevinas Pavlijus, Darius Kazubovičius.
