Lithuania begins Euro qualifying
The decisive stage of qualifying for UEFA Euro 2012, which will be held in Poland and Ukraine, is now beginning. The Lithuanian national team is also starting its first qualifying matches. However, Lithuania has been drawn in a tough group, so qualifying for UEFA Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine is likely to prove difficult.
Lithuania: up against world and European champions Spain, the Czech Republic and Liechtenstein
In Group 1, where Lithuania is competing to qualify for the final tournament in Poland and Ukraine, the only real question is which team can finish second behind the strong favourites, European and world champions Spain, and qualify for the play-offs. If everything goes according to plan, the Czech Republic and Scotland will likely battle it out for second place. Lithuania are clear outsiders. The team coached by national manager Zataustas did, however, enjoy a qualifying campaign for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa that met both its own and others’ expectations, finishing ahead of Romania, who had initially been considered stronger. Lithuania’s ambitious goal for qualifying for UEFA Euro 2012 is to make life a little difficult for the Czech and Scottish teams.
Lithuania begins Euro qualifying
Date: 30/09/2026
Realistically, though, anything better than finishing second from bottom in Group 1, ahead of football minnows Liechtenstein, would be a major surprise. That said, if the Lithuanian team can play beyond its usual level, such an upset is not entirely out of the question, as the Czech side is nowhere near as strong as it was a few years ago. Scotland, too, have not qualified for a major tournament—either the European Championship or the World Cup—for a long time. Across Europe, the Euro 2012 qualifying matches begin on 3 September 2010 and end on 11 October 2011.
Christian Bathen
