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Today at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, the draw for the schedule of the 2008 European Championship qualifying Group B took place. Despite Ukraine protesting against seven teams, they failed to agree on match dates and venues, so the schedule was randomly created.
According to representatives of the Lithuanian Football Federation who traveled to Switzerland, an attempt was made to agree on the schedule verbally and avoid a draw, but unlike last week's Group E teams, Ukraine and France failed to reach a common agreement.
Compared to the previous schedule, this time the Lithuanian national team will face an incomparably tougher start to the championship - the Lithuanians will start their battles in mid-August against the Faroe Islands at home, and in early September against the Italian national team away.
In a few days, the Lithuanian national team will have to face Scotland at home, and in October they will have another regular trip to the Faroe Islands. Interestingly, these three matches will be the only ones this year, and next year Algimantas Liubinskas' coached team will face possibly the busiest schedule in the history of the national team - a total of nine matches.
For the year 2007, Lithuanian footballers will start official matches on March 24th against the French stars at home, and after four days they will travel to Ukraine, and in early summer football fans will have the opportunity to see the Georgian and Italian national teams in our country.
In the fall, the second round will begin with return matches in September against Scotland and the Faroe Islands, in October the Lithuanian national team will travel to France. The qualification matches will end in mid-November with a match against neighbors Ukraine at home and a very difficult trip to Georgia, where victory has not been achieved even once.
Today, the schedule for the upcoming qualifying cycle was also revealed. The Lithuanian national team will test their strength against two teams that participated in the World Cup - on May 2nd in Poland against the local team and on June 3rd in Germany against the Japanese national team.
Lithuanian national team's Euro-2008 qualification match schedule:
2006
September 2, Saturday Italy - Lithuania
September 6, Wednesday Lithuania - Scotland
October 7, Saturday Faroe Islands - Lithuania
2007
March 24, Saturday Lithuania - France
March 28, Wednesday Ukraine - Lithuania
June 2, Saturday Lithuania - Georgia
June 6, Wednesday Lithuania - Italy
September 8, Saturday Scotland - Lithuania
September 12, Wednesday Lithuania - Faroe Islands
October 17, Wednesday France - Lithuania
November 17, Saturday Lithuania - Ukraine
November 21, Wednesday Georgia - Lithuania
