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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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Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Cyprus Cyprus00000
2 Georgia Georgia00000
3 Norway Norway00000
Q Scotland flag Scotland00000
Q Spain Spain00000

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q France France00000
2 Gibraltar flag Gibraltar00000
3 Greece Greece00000
Q Netherlands Netherlands00000
5 Ireland Rep. Ireland00000

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England00000
Q Italy Italy00000
3 Malta flag Malta00000
4 Macedonia N. Macedonia00000
5 Ukraine Ukraine00000

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Armenia Armenia00000
Q Croatia Croatia00000
3 Latvia Latvia00000
Q Turkey Turkey00000
5 Wales flag Wales00000

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Albania national flag Albania00000
Q Czech Republic Czech Republic00000
3 Faroe Islands Faroe Islands00000
4 Republic of Moldova Moldova00000
5 Poland Poland00000

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Austria Austria00000
2 Azerbaijan Azerbaijan00000
Q Belgium Belgium00000
4 Estonia Estonia00000
5 Sweden Sweden00000

Group G

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Bulgaria Bulgaria00000
Q Hungary Hungary00000
3 Lithuania Lithuania00000
4 Montenegro Montenegro00000
Q Serbia Serbia00000

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Denmark Denmark00000
2 Finland Finland00000
3 Kazakhstan Kazakhstan00000
4 Northern Ireland flag N. Ireland00000
5 San Marino flag San Marino00000
Q Slovenia Slovenia00000

Group I

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Andorra flag Andorra00000
2 Belarus Belarus00000
3 Israel Israel00000
4 Kosovo flag Kosovo00000
Q Romania Romania00000
Q Switzerland Switzerland00000

Group J

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Bosnia Bosnia H'vina00000
2 Iceland Iceland00000
3 Liechtenstein flag Liechtenstein00000
4 Luxembourg flag Luxembourg00000
Q Portugal Portugal00000
Q Slovakia Slovakia00000


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