Lithuania face Spain in top match

The match of the year for all Lithuanian fans and for Lithuania’s national team is just around the corner: National coach Zataustas’s team must face the group favorites, reigning European and world champions Spain, on Friday, 08.10.2010, in the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying campaign for the tournament in Poland and Ukraine.

The Lithuanian national team has made a better-than-expected start to qualifying for UEFA Euro 2012 (as we reported). After earning four points in their first two matches, a quiet hope is growing in Lithuania: Could Lithuania qualify for UEFA Euro 2012? The upcoming away qualifier against Spain, whose “Seleccion” is currently the benchmark in world football, will show where Lithuanian football really stands.

Straight after the winter break, the Spanish team will visit Lithuania on 29 March 2011. Lithuania’s remaining Euro 2012 qualifying fixtures in 2011 are on 04.06.2011 away to Liechtenstein, on 02.09.2011 at home against Liechtenstein, on 06.09.2011 away to Scotland, and finally on 11.10.2011 at home against the Czech Republic.

Although there is currently great excitement surrounding Lithuanian football and the national team has had a good start to its Euro qualifying campaign, earning a point or even beating the formidable Spaniards would be a major sensation. However, if Lithuania wants to finish second behind Spain in Group I and qualify for the play-offs, it will have to pick up points against the other teams, such as Scotland, Liechtenstein or the Czech Republic. In that case, qualification for UEFA Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine would be possible for Lithuania. Hopes are certainly high among the national team and fans in Lithuania.