After a dramatic 2-2 draw against Finland in front of a 10,000-strong crowd at Kaunas’ Dariaus ir Girėnas Stadium, the Lithuanian national team wrapped up the first phase of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. With one point from two games, what lessons can we draw from these performances? How should we assess the team’s efforts, and were expectations perhaps set too high? Let’s dive in.
Ambitious goals, uncertain results
As mentioned in a recent article, the Lithuanian Football Federation has set extremely ambitious goals for the national team, aiming to finish second in the group stage and secure their first-ever spot in the world’s most prestigious football tournament. Lithuania has never qualified for the World Cup, nor has the team reached the European Championship. This statement reflects the federation’s motivation and desire to take a significant step forward. However, many in the country might view this ambition as somewhat unrealistic.
The team’s performances in their opening matches against Poland in Warsaw and Finland in Kaunas suggest that these lofty objectives may be out of reach. Despite some promising moments, the results didn’t align with the high hopes set by the federation and many fans.
The Poland match: Holding their own
Let’s start with Lithuania’s opening match against Poland, widely considered the second-strongest team in the group. In terms of playing style, this was a better performance than against Finland. The consistency and discipline displayed by Edgaras Jankauskas’ men were impressive, and they nearly secured a hard-fought draw in what was, on paper, a very challenging fixture. With over 55,000 fans passionately supporting Robert Lewandowski and his teammates at PGE Narodowy Stadium, Lithuania held their ground for much of the match.
The only goal came in the 81st minute, scored by none other than Lewandowski, the most iconic player in Polish football history. It was an unfortunate moment for Lithuania, as the initial shot didn’t appear particularly dangerous. As goalkeeper Edvinas Gertmonas later noted, the ball was heading straight into his hands before it took a cruel deflection off NK Celje defender Artemijus Tutyškinas, sending it into the top-right corner of the net.
It was a frustrating result, as Jankauskas’ men held their ground for a long time against a Polish team filled with top-tier players from Europe’s elite leagues. In the 71st minute, Lithuania even had a great opportunity to score. In a beautifully executed passing sequence, Justas Lasickas delivered a cross into the box, Gvidas Gineitis cleverly let it pass, and Giedrius Matulevičius, finding himself in front of goal, fired a shot from just a few meters out, only to be denied by Polish goalkeeper Łukasz Skorupski.
In the first third of the match, Lithuania even led in possession and continued to play with confidence, avoiding nervousness. They worked to create chances for Armandas Kučys, who was lurking in attack, or to set up Gineitis for a shooting opportunity.
The Finland match: A different Start, but a strong recovery
After this frustrating defeat to Poland, Lithuania’s losing streak stretched to eight matches. Once again, the team didn’t play poorly, but their efforts weren’t enough to secure even a single point or avoid another disappointing result.
The game against Finland painted a very different picture, at least at the start. While the final result was somewhat positive, considering how the match began, the first 20 minutes were a complete nightmare. In the 4th minute, Lithuania failed to contain their opponent on the left flank, and Finland took advantage, with Kaan Kairinen converting the attack into a goal. Things got worse in the 17th minute when Edvinas Girdvainis lost possession near his own goal, forcing Gertmonas to make a crucial save. However, as Girdvainis rushed back, he mistimed his challenge and fouled the Finnish player, leading Belgian referee Erik Lambrechts to award a penalty, which Joel Pohjanpalo calmly converted.
Nevertheless, the Lithuanians made a strong comeback. Toward the end of the first half, hope was revived when Kučys scored in the 39th minute, though he was later forced to leave the field due to injury. Many football fans held their breath during the first half, as Artūr Dolžnikov, who assisted Kučys, was suspected of committing a foul after a strong challenge on a Finnish player just seconds before the goal. However, after a quick VAR review, the goal stood. Lithuania ultimately secured a hard-fought draw, thanks to a stunning long-range strike from Gineitis in the 69th minute, a goal that had the crowd on its feet. Gineitis undoubtedly scored the best goal of his career, further solidifying him and Kučys as the true faces of Lithuanian football, both now and hopefully for the next decade.
A draw that breaks the losing streak
The game ended in a draw, which is seen as a positive outcome considering the disastrous first twenty minutes. However, it fell far short of the desired result before the match, with many in the Lithuanian football community openly expressing their desire to secure all three points from the game.
This draw ended an eight-match losing streak that had been haunting the Lithuanian national team. “Psychologically, this is very important. The streak was long, and I don’t think it was deserved. There were many games where we were just a few inches away from winning but ended up losing. Or we were close to a draw but conceded a goal… I don’t want to talk about luck, but even in Poland, it’s hard to believe such a goal could go in, right? But it’s possible. We ended that streak, and we should be happy about that. We need to learn to celebrate the small things, though I wouldn’t say these draws are a huge achievement,” said Jankauskas.
Two key lessons
The first lesson we should take away from these opening two games is that a team can’t change overnight. Many football fans and experts believed that this World Cup qualification tournament would be a turning point for the national team, with a third-place or even second-place finish being within reach. However, after securing just one point from six, Jankauskas’ men have shown that they have their limits. While their performances were promising and offered hope, some expectations may have been set too high, leading to confusion among fans. Success is never achieved suddenly, which brings us to the second lesson.
The second lesson can be summed up in three words: trust the process. Gineitis is 20, Kučys is 22, Tutyškinas and Remeikis are 21, while Kažukolovas, Utkus, and Dolžnikov are 24. Even the most experienced players are still relatively young, with Pijus Širvys at 26, Justas Lasickas at 27, and Gertmonas at 28. We must also consider the significant efforts Lithuania has made in recent years to scout young talents from abroad, many of whom are just beginning their professional careers. A large number of these players have Lithuanian parents and are currently developing in top academies in countries like Italy, England, Spain, the USA, and Sweden. With that in mind, even if Lithuania’s dream of reaching the 2026 World Cup doesn’t come to fruition, the future remains bright, and the number of emerging prospects is virtually limitless.
The Road Ahead: Facing the Netherlands
On Sunday evening, Lithuania’s final group opponents were confirmed – it will be the Netherlands, who were defeated by Spain in a penalty shootout. This promises to be another challenging encounter, but with the right mindset and continued development, Lithuania’s future remains full of promise.