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Failure in Spain was experienced by the Lithuanian youth (up to 21 years old) team, despite a decent game at the "El Clariano" stadium in Onteniente in front of 4,000 spectators, losing to their Spanish counterparts and experiencing their third failure remaining in fourth place in the tournament table.
In other European Championship qualifying matches in Group 7, group leaders Belgium played a draw of 1-1 with Serbia and Montenegro, while Bosnia and Herzegovina won 4-1 away against San Marino.
Group 7 tournament table: 1. Belgium 6 4 2 0 16-4 14 2. Serbia and Montenegro 4 1 1 19-6 13 3. Spain 6 3 2 1 21-4 11 4. Lithuania 6 2 1 3 5-9 7 5. Bosnia and Herzegovina 5 2 0 3 8-8 6 6. San Marino 7 0 0 7 2-40 0
U21 Spain 2 - 0 Lithuania U21 58' [1 - 0] Hector Font 73' [2 - 0] Jonathan Soriano Lithuanian U-21 team: Malinauskas; Kazlauskas, Bagužis, Mikuckis, Skroblas; Mikoliūnas (45' Kavaliauskas), Panka, Kalonas (79' Ivaškevičius), Miceika, Lukša; Rimkevičius (76' Šidlauskas). The match began with an onslaught on the Lithuanian goal. In the fifth minute, Iniesta took a shot at the goal, but Malinauskas reacted perfectly, deflecting the ball over the goal. After about twenty minutes of play in the penalty area, Llorente fell, but the referee from Scotland let the Spaniard know that a card for simulation would be shown for the next such episode.
After just a minute, the same Llorente jumped on Malinauskas and shot at the goal, but missed the net on the other side. In the second half, the Lithuanians regrouped and even took the initiative. In one of the attacks, Miceika made a great pass to Kalonas, who broke away alone against Spanish goalkeeper Moya, but the Lithuanian shot straight at the opponent.
A few minutes later, Mikoliūnas passed the ball to Rimkevičius across half of the field, who, cutting into the penalty area, tried to pass the ball to Panka in the center, but the Spanish defenders played it without difficulty and eliminated the danger.
Perhaps the most real opportunity for the Lithuanian youth team in the first half was already in the added time by the referee. After Mikoliūnas was fouled, a penalty kick was awarded from 25 meters. Mikuckis took the shot very strongly and accurately, but the Spanish defender standing on the goal line headed the ball out behind the end line.
The second half again started with attacks from Spain. After ten minutes, Llorente headed the ball over the goal, and a few minutes later Hector Font scored a goal from under Kazlauskas' legs and put the Spaniards ahead. The Lithuanians tried to recover and almost succeeded. After Miceika's pass, Rimkevičius headed the ball completely beside the goal.
In the 72nd minute, Jonathan Soriano, who came on as a substitute, shot from about 45 meters past the goalkeeping Malinauskas, burying all Lithuanian hopes of changing anything in that match. As the match approached its end, Kavaliauskas started to trouble the Spanish defenders and after one of these raids, Lukša got the ball near the penalty area, but unfortunately his shot flew completely wide of the goal.
After the match ended, a real fiesta began in the Spanish village, resembling the New Year celebrations in Lithuania. The Spanish youth won and reduced the gap from the second-place Serbians in the group to two points.
