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Lithuania national football team
Euro Champ Qualifying | Group Stage
Sep 10, 2023 at 7.45pm UK
S. Dariaus ir S. Girėno stadionas
Serbia national football team

Lithuania
1 - 3
Serbia

Paulauskas (45')
Cernych (23'), Paulauskas (35')
FT(HT: 1-3)
Mitrovic (21', 32', 43')
Zivkovic (38'), Milinkovic-Savic (84'), Mitrovic (90+1')

Preview: Lithuania vs. Serbia - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Sunday's Euro Champ Qualifying clash between Lithuania and Serbia, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

After a midweek setback left Serbia second in Group G of Euro 2024 qualifying, they visit winless Lithuania on Sunday, aiming to provide an immediate response.

Before travelling to Kaunas, the Eagles suffered defeat to Hungary in their first fixture of the international period, while their hosts fought back to steal a point against Montenegro.


Match preview

Serbia players celebrate after Hungary's Attila Szalai scores an own goal and Serbia's first on September 7, 2023© Reuters

After coming through their first three Euro 2024 qualifiers unbeaten, Serbia went head-to-head with their chief rivals for Group C supremacy, Hungary, on Thursday night. However, events did not unfold as they had planned at the Marakana.

The teams met in Belgrade sitting on seven points apiece after June's fixtures - in which Serbia were held to a 1-1 draw by Bulgaria - and despite taking the lead, Dragan Stojkovic's side could not prevent the Hungarians heading home with all three points.

As a result, neighbours Montenegro - one of two teams the Eagles saw off in their opening pair of fixtures, the other being this weekend's opponents - have pulled to within two points in the table.

There are just four rounds remaining to battle it out for a top-two finish, which would guarantee a place in Germany next summer, so Serbia cannot afford to let things slip any further.

Having failed to win a game at Qatar 2022, Stojkovic simply must steer his team to the European Championship finals or face the inevitable consequences - losing in Lithuania, then, is unthinkable.

Lithuania coach Edgaras Jankauskas reacts on March 24, 2023© Reuters

Still searching for their first win of the qualification process, Lithuania have lost two and drawn two in Group G so far.

Any distant dreams of upsetting the odds and making a push for the top two have long since ended, and even a spirited 2-2 draw with Montenegro in midweek leaves them languishing second-bottom of the standings, only ahead of Bulgaria on goals scored.

After they let a lead slip to trail heading into stoppage time on Thursday evening, Fedor Cernych popped up with a late leveller to delight the home fans in Kaunas, but their national team are still seeking an end to a long winless run.

Fourteen games have now passed since Lithuania's last victory, which came against San Marino well over a year ago, and campaigns in the UEFA Nations League and Baltic Cup have both come and gone without a single success.

Former international striker Edgaras Jankauskas, who now leads the Rinktine, will therefore be keen to get off the mark in that regard and restore some pride, but Serbia's visit presents a particularly tricky task.

Lithuania Euro Champ Qualifying form:


Lithuania form (all competitions):


Serbia Euro Champ Qualifying form:


Serbia form (all competitions):



Team News

Serbia coach Dragan Stojkovic on June 20, 2023© Reuters

Although neither was able to get on the scoresheet against Hungary last time out, Serbia's strikeforce could again be comprised of Dusan Vlahovic and all-time top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic on Sunday.

The latter averages a goal every two games in European Championship qualifying throughout his career, but has yet to score on the road to Germany - Vlahovic has three goals to his name already.

Fulham's Sasa Lucic and Aleksa Terzic of Red Bull Salzburg were among those cut from the Eagles' preliminary squad, but an abundance of talent remains available to coach Dragan Stojkovic, who generally prefers a 3-4-1-2 formation.

While Serbia captain Dusan Tadic will now reach his century of international caps, Lithuania's most experienced player, 88-cap Arvydas Novikovas, should start on the wing this weekend.

Following his point-saving intervention from off the bench on Thursday, Fedor Cernych could be promoted to the hosts' starting lineup, but few other changes are expected.

Lithuania possible starting lineup:
Gertmonas; Lasickas, Lekiatas, Girdvainis, Benetas; Verbickas, Gineitis; Novikovas, Cernych, Jankauskas; Paulauskas

Serbia possible starting lineup:
V. Milinkovic-Savic; Veljkovic, Gudelj, Pavlovic; Zivkovic, Ilic, S. Milinkovic-Savic, Kostic; Tadic; Vlahovic, Mitrovic


SM words green background

We say: Lithuania 0-2 Serbia

Serbia should expect to do the double over lowly Lithuania, who simply cannot buy a win and could be bound for bottom place in Group G. The gulf in class between the teams will be apparent, but a dogged rearguard action by the home side may keep the scoreline respectable.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting under 3.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Under 3.5:data


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Game History

How you voted: Lithuania vs Serbia

Lithuania
13.7%
Draw
13.7%
Serbia
72.5%
51
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Tables header RHS

Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Spain Spain870121
Q Scotland flag Scotland852117
3 Norway Norway832311
4 Georgia Georgia82248
5 Cyprus Cyprus80080

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q France France871022
Q Netherlands Netherlands860218
3 Greece Greece841313
4 Ireland Rep. Ireland82066
5 Gibraltar flag Gibraltar80080

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England862020
Q Italy Italy842214
3 Ukraine Ukraine842214
4 Macedonia N. Macedonia82248
5 Malta flag Malta80080

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Turkey Turkey852117
Q Croatia Croatia851216
3 Wales flag Wales833212
4 Armenia Armenia82248
5 Latvia Latvia81073

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Albania national flag Albania843115
Q Czech Republic Czech Republic843115
3 Poland Poland832311
4 Republic of Moldova Moldova824210
5 Faroe Islands Faroe Islands80262

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Belgium Belgium862020
Q Austria Austria861119
3 Sweden Sweden831410
4 Azerbaijan Azerbaijan82157
5 Estonia Estonia80171

Group G

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Hungary Hungary853018
Q Serbia Serbia842214
3 Montenegro Montenegro832311
4 Lithuania Lithuania81346
5 Bulgaria Bulgaria80444

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Denmark Denmark1071222
Q Slovenia Slovenia1071222
3 Finland Finland1060418
4 Kazakhstan Kazakhstan1060418
5 Northern Ireland flag N. Ireland103079
6 San Marino flag San Marino1000100

Group I

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Romania Romania1064022
Q Switzerland Switzerland1045117
3 Israel Israel1043315
4 Belarus Belarus1033412
5 Kosovo flag Kosovo1025311
6 Andorra flag Andorra100282

Group J

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Portugal Portugal10100030
Q Slovakia Slovakia1071222
3 Luxembourg flag Luxembourg1052317
4 Iceland Iceland1031610
5 Bosnia Bosnia H'vina103079
6 Liechtenstein flag Liechtenstein1000100


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