As preparations ramp up for the UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifiers, the Lithuania U21 national team is set to play two friendly matches this June against domestic clubs. The squad, a compelling mix of A Lyga talent and promising Lithuanian prospects from abroad, will provide head coach Rokas Garastas with an early glimpse of his options ahead of the competitive campaign.
The team will assemble on June 4 at the LSC Sports Center in Druskininkai, where they will also play the first of their two scheduled friendlies. On June 7, Lithuania will face DFK Dainava Alytus, a club competing in the TOPsport A Lyga.
The second match is scheduled for June 10 in Tauragė, where the U21 side will meet Tauragės Tauras, one of the top teams in the second division. Both matches will kick off at 17:00 local time.
Coach Garastas has named an intriguing squad that includes domestic standouts and emerging talents plying their trade in top European academies. Among the most exciting call-ups is 18-year-old center-back Jokūbas Mažionis, who is set to make his debut for Lithuania. Mažionis recently completed a full season of senior football in England’s National League with Woking FC. More notably, he is under contract with Ipswich Town, who competed in the Premier League this season. The young defender is expected to join Ipswich’s first team for pre-season preparations in the coming months.
Other notable names include Arnas Voitinovičius, a regular starter for SL Benfica U-23 in the UEFA Youth League, and Ernestas Gudelevičius, a highly rated midfielder in ACF Fiorentina’s youth ranks. The squad also features talents from clubs in Italy and Cyprus, such as Klaidas Laukžemis (Ancona Calcio), Julius Virvilas (Calcio Desenzano), and Nikita Pavlovskij (Pafos FC).
Here is the full list:
Goalkeepers:
- Rokas Bagdonavičius (FC Hegelmann)
- Klaidas Laukžemis (Ancona Calcio, Italy)
- Julius Virvilas (Calcio Desenzano, Italy)
- Arnas Voitinovičius (SL Benfica U-23, Portugal)
Defenders:
- Maksim Andrejev (FK Banga)
- Tomas Budrys (FK Babrungas)
- Eduardas Jurjonas (FK Kauno Žalgiris)
- Jokūbas Mažionis (Woking FC, England)
- Pijus Nainys (FK Kauno Žalgiris)
- Naglis Paliušis (DFK Dainava)
- Milanas Rutkovskis (FK Riteriai)
- Nidas Vosylius (FK Kauno Žalgiris)
Midfielders:
- Simas Civilka (FK Riteriai)
- Martynas Džiugas (FK Be1)
- Ernestas Gudelevičius (ACF Fiorentina, Italy)
- Justas Paštukas (FC Hegelmann)
- Nikita Pavlovskij (Pafos FC, Cyprus)
- Dariuš Stankevičius (FK Sūduva)
- Martynas Šetkus (FK Žalgiris)
- Domantas Šluta (FK Be1)
- Denis Ževžikovas (DFK Dainava)
Forwards:
- Esmilis Kaušinis (FC Hegelmann)
- Tomas Stelmokas (FK Kauno Žalgiris)
- Faustas Steponavičius (FK Panevėžys)
Primary source: https://www.lff.lt/vaikinu-u21-rinktine-lietuvoje-suzais-dvejas-kontrolines-rungtynes/
