© EuroFootball.com
This time there is nowhere to escape and no possibility to postpone problem solving for the future. Three clubs from "SMScredit.lt A Lyga" will play the second leg of the Europa League qualifiers today. To advance to the next stage, Vilnius "Žalgiris" and Marijampole "Sūduva" need to win, while Pakruojas "Kruoja" needs to win by a large margin. However, the teams from the capital and Marijampole are also capable of doing so.
"Turnovo" (Macedonia) - Marijampole "Sūduva". 18:30 Lithuanian time. Skopje, Philip II Stadium. First leg - 2:2.
"Sūduva's" attacking leader Nerijus Valskis said, "We will advance to the next round." The first leg in Lithuania, despite the slightly unfavorable result for the Marijampole team, showed that the Macedonians will have a hard time at home. Even their star players agree - striker Zoran Baldovaliev openly stated that "Sūduva" is the favorite.
At home, Darius Gvildys' team wasted opportunities one after another, especially in the second half. But it was precisely the second half that gave the Marijampole players confidence in their abilities.
"Sūduva" also has an advantage in that "Turnovo" will not be playing on their home ground, but in the Macedonian capital of Skopje. The "Kukus" stadium in Turnovo, with only about one and a half thousand seats, does not meet UEFA requirements.
Minsk "Dinamo" (Belarus) - Pakruojas "Kruoja". 19:00 Minsk time. "Tractor" Stadium. First leg - 3:0.
"Kruoja" coach Aidas Dambrauskas promises that his team will give their all on the field. "Dinamo" coach, Dutchman Robert Maaskant, emphasizes to his players that they need to take the match seriously.
After returning from Šiauliai, where the first leg took place, the Minsk club had a lot to do both on and off the pitch. In the Belarusian championship, "Dinamo" painfully lost a victory in the dying minutes in a match against league leaders Shakhtyor Soligorsk.
At the same time, the club signed contracts with new players - defender Sergey Kondrakov, Montenegrin midfielder Nemanja Nikolić, Serbian midfielder Nenad Adamović, and forward Lazar Veselinović. However, they will not play against "Kruoja" as they are not registered for the Europa League qualifiers.
This means that "Dinamo" will not have an easy time this time. The situation for "Kruoja" is not better. Due to injuries, defenders Alfredas Skroblas, Gediminas Paulauskas, Žantimiras Soblirovas, and forward Nerijus Astrauskas will not be able to help the team in Minsk.
Dublin "St. Patrick's Athletic" (Ireland) - Vilnius "Žalgiris". 21:45 Dublin time. "Richmond Park" Stadium. First leg - 2:2.
Statistics indicate that it will be difficult for "Žalgiris". Over the past four years, "St. Patrick's" have advanced through the Europa League qualifiers three times, and have not lost at home in 11 consecutive matches.
Andrius Skerla, the most experienced player of "Žalgiris," commented, "If we want to win, we have to play like 'St. Patrick's' did in the second half in Vilnius."
The Irish team responded with compliments. "We are definitely not underestimating them. They have eight national team players, we have none. In the past year, they have only lost three matches," said Conan Byrne, who scored the first goal for the Irish in Vilnius.
Last weekend, the Dublin team rested, players recovered from minor injuries, and supporters prepared to show their support. "In Vilnius, the Lithuanians supported 'Žalgiris' wonderfully. Now it's our turn," they announced.
