Both teams played two matches each on Wednesday. The first matches ended in a draw: the Lithuanians played 3:3 with the Ukrainians, and the French – 0:0 with the Albanians.
The confrontation between Lithuania and France started with lightning goals. Already 1 min. the French took the lead after an effective combination, but the counterattack of the Lithuanian footballers was crowned by a precise strike by Ignos Raštutis.
The tie remained until the middle of the quarter. 10 minutes Ignas Maleckas broke through three opponents’ defenders and, running in front of the goalkeeper, passed the ball to Augustus Trinkūnas, who only had to direct it into the goal. Having taken the lead, the Lithuanian footballers did not slow down and had at least several opportunities to increase their advantage, but the shots of Albert Voskunovičius and Justin Zagurskas were saved by the goalkeeper of the French national team.
At the beginning of the second half, the Lithuanians paid more attention to defense, while the French controlled the ball for a longer time and prepared positional attacks. The goalkeeper Andrius Juzkiv, who played admirably, saved the Lithuanian national team several times, and the field players worked selflessly at their own goal.
The tension subsided a bit after the third Lithuanian goal. 33 minutes A. Voskunovičius broke through on the left side, made an accurate pass to the goalkeeper’s area, and Mindaugas Kasparas, freed from the grip of the opponent, directed the ball into the goal with one touch.
The coaches of the French national team replaced the goalkeeper with the sixth player on the pitch and tried to organize an attack on the Lithuanian goal, but their hopes were dashed by an effective shot by A. Trinkūnas. 37 minutes the defender of the Lithuanian national team, who intercepted the ball at his own goal, punished the opponents with a kick across the field and consolidated the victory of the Lithuanian national team 4:1.
Mindaugas Grigalevičius, the head coach of the Lithuanian minor football team, did not say much after the winning match.
“It’s good that the men did not get upset after conceding a goal so quickly and responded immediately with their productive attack. I think this was the pivotal episode of the match. After that, we lost the initiative and controlled the game. Already in the first half, we could actually “close” the match, but we lacked a bit of luck, although we had very good chances. There was a bit of tension in the second half, but it was much calmer after the third goal, and the fourth goal finally answered all the questions. We proved that we are stronger than this French team, but it is too early to be happy, because the championship is just beginning for us”, said M. Grigalevičius.
The Lithuanian junior football team is participating in the European Championship after an eight-year break. in 2016 in August, the Lithuanian national team met the teams of Romania, Spain and France in the European mini-football championships held in Hungary. At that time, the Lithuanians were forced to recognize the superiority of the Romanians and the Spanish, and they won the only victory by beating the French 3:2.
On Thursday, at 19:00, the Lithuanian small football team will meet with Serbian football players. The latter started the championship on Wednesday with a dramatic 2:3 defeat against Ukraine.
All matches of the Lithuanian minor football team can be watched live on the DELFI TV platform and on the Delfi TV YouTube channel.
Lithuania – France 4:1 (2:1)
Goals: 2′ I. Scripture, 10 and 37 min. A. Trinkūnas, 33 min. M. Kasparas; 1 min. A. Jastier.
Lithuania: Andrius Juzkiv, Mantas Šumskis; Augustas Trinkūnas, Rokas Masenzovas, Mindaugas Kasparas, Giedrius Mažrimas, Justinas Zagurskas, Matas Radžiukynas, Benas Buzevičius, Albertas Voskunovičius, Ignas Maleckas, Ignas Raštutis. Trainers Mindaugas Grigalevičius and Giedrius Brazaitis.
