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Eight participants of the European U-19 Football Championship in Lithuania line up at the starting line. This Saturday in Kaunas, Alytus, and Marijampolė, the largest football event in our country to date will kick off and last for two weeks.
During a press conference held on the eve of the championship, national team strategists were pleased that the participants were provided with good conditions and all that's left is to wait for an interesting competition.
Seeking to prove their worth
The Lithuanian national team will play in Group A alongside the national teams of the Netherlands, Spain, and Portugal.
"Although we are considered underdogs in the group, we will try to prove that we deserve to be here and play. In every match, we will give our all," said Lithuanian coach Antanas Vingilys. "Playing at home should help, but sometimes it can have the opposite effect. Players might be overly anxious about playing at home. However, we are preparing to prevent that from happening."
In the first match, Lithuanians will face the Dutch team. According to Dutch coach Wim van Zwam, he does not expect an easy match.
Teams pleased with the conditions
This week, football delegations gathered in Kaunas were satisfied with the reception and conditions provided. "We definitely feel that a lot of effort has been put into organizing the championship. We were warmly welcomed, treated very nicely, and assisted as much as possible," said Spanish coach Luis de la Fuente.
"We are very pleased with what we found here - both in terms of transportation and accommodation. Everything is going smoothly," said Portugal's coach Emilio Peixe.
The importance of the first matches
In the other Championship group, European vice-champion France will face teams from Turkey, Georgia, and Serbia.
"We are very happy to participate here. All teams have big ambitions, so we will see many beautiful matches. The championship will be great," said former Yugoslav national team goalkeeper Ljubinko Drulovic.
Asked about the importance of the first matches, all team coaches admitted that much depended on them. "The first matches are perhaps the most important. If you win them or at least do not lose, you gain confidence, which allows you to move forward successfully. A victory opens the door to the next stage," said recently appointed Turkish coach Okan Buruk.
The favorites of the group will be considered the French, who have already twice become European U-19 champions. "Being here means that these players are the future of French football. It will be interesting to play in such a group, and we expect to draw the best from this championship. A victory at the start would inspire the team with confidence in their abilities," said the coach of the French U-19 national team, Francis Smerecki.
