Sports Mole previews Thursday’s International Friendlies clash between Lithuania and Israel, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Lithuania will be looking to end their 17-month wait for a victory when they welcome one of the most controversial international teams in the world, Israel.
Thursday’s international friendly will take place at an empty Darius and Girenas Stadium in Kaunas, with the local authorities looking to prevent clashes.
Match preview
Seventeen months, 14 matches, 11 defeats and three draws – Lithuania’s recent record in international football certainly makes for depressing reading.
The Tricolours have never been a powerhouse, and their expectations have always been rather low, though their recent run of results has been particularly poor.
Manager Edgaras Jankauskas – who famously won the 2004 Champions League, playing under Jose Mourinho at FC Porto – has been in charge of the national team since January 2023, and in that time he has managed four victories in 28 games.
The 50-year-old is far from reaching the heights of the ‘Special One’ in the managerial realm, though he could certainly point his men in the right direction with a long-awaited victory.
It has not been all negative for Lithuania in recent months, considering three of their last seven matches ended in draws – two of them against Malta and the other at home against Finland.
On top of that, the Tricolours gave the Netherlands a run for their money in a recent World Cup qualifier, as they ended up on the wrong end of a 3-2 result.
Israel’s involvement in international football has led to protests, parliamentary debates and a whole host of controversy, with tensions continuing to grow.
Maccabi Tel Aviv’s trip to Aston Villa, for instance, may not have been a classic footballing encounter, but it was a fixture which dominated the front pages for months prior to the first whistle.
The Israeli national team have also hit the headlines in recent times, with most of their away games being overshadowed by a backdrop of protests.
Controversy has not escaped Thursday’s friendly in Kaunas after the President of the Lithuanian Football Federation confirmed the match would be played behind closed doors.
He told the media, as quoted by 15min: “We met with representatives of security, law enforcement, police, security, the municipality and Vycis Tribuna. We decided that spectators will not be allowed in. Only official delegations, about 50 Israeli representatives, will be at the match, but this entire list has been officially approved.”
On the footballing front, Israel will be looking to shake off a three-match losing run, which includes two defeats against Italy and one 5-0 thumping away in Norway.
Ran Ben Shimon and his men are already out of the hunt for the country’s first World Cup appearance since 1970, though a win away in Lithuania would certainly lift spirits during a difficult time on and off the field.
Lithuania form (all competitions):
Israel form (all competitions):
Team News
Lithuania head into this upcoming international break without two very experienced names – Edvinas Girdvainis and Vykintas Slivka.
The two men boast 136 international caps between them, though there is still a lot of experience left in the current side.
Fedor Cernych, for instance, will be looking to make his 102nd outing for the Tricolours, while defender Justas Lasickas is hoping to make his 66th international appearance.
Former Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United forward Manor Solomon is the big absentee from Israel’s team, with the player struggling with a back injury.
Goalscoring duties will likely fall to New England Revolution forward Dor Turgeman, who has scored three goals in as many club outings.
NEC Nijmegen defender Eli Dasa will bring the most experience to the team, having already earned 73 international caps.
Lithuania possible starting lineup:
Svedkauskas; Tutyskinas, Girvainis, Beneta, Sirvys; Vorobjovas, Gineitis, Sirgedas, Golubickas; Paulauskas, Cernych
Israel possible starting lineup:
Glazer; Revivo, Blorian, Shlomo, Dasa; Turiel, Gloukh, Peretz; Shua, Turgeman, Gorno
We say: Lithuania 1-1 Israel
This is an opportunity for both teams to get a win on the board and restore some lost confidence.
However, games in empty stadiums can sometimes lack a certain edge, and with that in mind we are backing a draw.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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