Lithuania will be seeking to avoid relegation from League C Group 1 of the UEFA Nations League when they welcome Faroe Islands to Vilnius on Thursday.
The hosts suffered a 2-0 defeat against Turkey in their last match in June, while the visitors played out a 2-2 draw away against Luxembourg.
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Lithuania managed to claim eight points from their six Nations League matches in the previous campaign, but they have since failed to pick up a single point from their opening four matches this time around.
Their goal difference of -11 is the worst of any nation in any group at this stage, and this figure could have been greater had Turkey converted more than two of their 37 shots on goal against them last time out.
Head coach Valdas Ivanauskas has since been relieved of his duties and replaced by German manager Reinhold Breu, who had been Lithuania’s technical director since December last year.
Lithuania have only won two of their last 19 international matches across all competitions since the beginning of 2021, but they need to find a winning formula on Thursday against Faroe Islands if they are to avoid relegation from League C Group 1.
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Following their promotion as group winners in the previous campaign, Faroe Islands have picked up four points from as many matches in League C Group 1.
Hakan Ericson‘s side suffered defeats in their opening two fixtures against Turkey and Luxembourg, conceding five goals without reply, but they bounced back with a 2-1 victory at home to Lithuania courtesy of strikes from Viljormur Davidsen and Jakup Andreasen.
A 2-2 draw with Luxembourg last time out has seen Faroe Islands move four points clear of Lithuania at the foot of the group, and although promotion is not possible, a victory on Thursday would secure their survival.
Faroe Islands have only won one of their last 13 away internationals since September 2020, so they will need to improve their form on the road if they are to edge past a fired-up Lithuania outfit this week.
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It remains to be seen how Breu’s Lithuania side will line up for his first game in charge, but with a win required to avoid relegation, the German will likely switch from the five-man defence deployed by his predecessor last time out.
Thirty-eight-year-old Saulius Mikoliunas, who is just two appearances away from receiving his 100th international cap, will be hoping to force his way into the first XI at right-back ahead of Rolandas Baravykas.
Fedor Cernych – who scored against Faroe Islands in the reverse fixture – and Arvydas Novikovas have both scored 12 international goals for Lithuania and they are expected to start in the final third along with striker Augustinas Klimavicius.
As for Faroe Islands, Ericson could stick with the flat 4-4-2 formation which they used in the victory over Lithuania three months ago.
Striker Klaemint Olsen and defender Rogvi Baldvinsson, who received their 50th caps last time out, could both be handed starts, with the former joining Patrik Johannesen in attack.
Joannes Bjartalid, who scored a brace in the 2-2 draw with Luxembourg, is set to keep his place on the right wing, with Meinhard Olsen the most likely candidate to operate on the opposite flank.
Lithuania possible starting lineup:
Bartkus; Mikoliunas, Girdvainis, Klimavicius, Barauskas; Slivka, Megelaitis; Kazlauskas, Cernych, Novikovas; Klimavicius
Faroe Islands possible starting lineup:
Nielsen; Sorensen, Baldvinsson, Nattestad, Davidsen; Bjartalid, Vatnhamar, Andreasen, M. Olsen; K. Olsen, Johannesen
The pressure is on Lithuania to come away with maximum points against a Faroe Islands outfit who won the reverse fixture and will be the slight favourites despite their poor form away from home.
We expect both nations to cause problems in the final third, but the visitors should have enough quality in their side to come out on top.
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