Jankauskas meets the Latvian test both melodically and brutally: „We beat daily“

Lithuanians last held the Baltic Cup in 2010, when they triumphed in the same place, but in the old Darius and Girėnas stadium.

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Since then – deafening silence. Seven unsuccessful attempts, during which Latvians rejoiced with the trophy four times, Estonians twice, and Iceland, playing as a guest, once.

Baltic Cup medalists

Country				Titles
Latvia	14	14	2	1928, 1932, 1933, 1936, 1937, 1993, 1995, 2001, 2003, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018
Lithuania	10	9	9	1930, 1935, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2005, 2010
Estonia	5	6	17	1929, 1931, 1938, 2021, 2024
Iceland	1	0	0	2022
Finland	0	1	1

Now another attempt. Perhaps even the decisive one.

Before Saturday’s semi-final in Kaunas against Latvia, there is not only sporting tension in the air. These are matches that can become a milestone for both the team and its coach Edgaras Jankauskas.

In the corridors of Lithuanian football, there is increasing talk that the LFF has set two very specific goals for the current coaching staff for this year – to win the Baltic Cup and the UEFA Nations League Division D, where our team will have to fight against Azerbaijan and Liechtenstein.

However, these duels will only be played in autumn, and now all of E. Jankauskas’s thoughts are only about the Baltic Cup – within reach, but also carrying the entire burden of long years of waiting.

Lithuania is waiting for victory, and this wait has long turned into pressure. When the title constantly slips from your hands, every coach’s choice, every word, and every result gains increasing weight.

Especially since even bare statistics are clearly on the Lithuanians’ side. Since the restoration of independence, our national team has never lost to Latvia when these matches took place in Lithuania.

“I didn’t know this statistic yet, so I’ll have to mention it to the players as well. It’s nice to hear that, and it will be another motivational signal. However, every match with Latvia is a matter of principle, and regardless of past history, duels with our neighbors are especially important to us. Such confrontations are more than just sport. There are other nuances here,” E. Jankauskas is convinced.

Asked by 15min whether his pupils are the favorites in this confrontation, the Lithuanian national team strategist remained diplomatic.

“I don’t want any grand phrases before the duel, but I think we are very well prepared,” the coach said.

If the Lithuanians manage to win on Saturday, the winner of the Estonia and Faroe Islands pair will await our team in the final. In case of an Estonian victory, our team will have to play the final next Tuesday in Tallinn. If the Faroes win, the decisive battle for the trophy would take place in the same Darius and Girėnas stadium.

E. Jankauskas faces the most important exam of the year bravely. It has already been announced that the team will have to fight for the Baltic Cup trophy without a whole host of important players (Edvinas Gertmonas, Pijus Širvys, Paulius Golubickas, Gratas Sirgėdas, Kipras Kažukolovas, Fiodoras Černychas), and after the national team list was announced, it became clear that Artemijus Tutyškinas, Klaudijus Upstas, and Rokas Lekiatas would also not be able to help the team.

“We lost a few more players, but the entire preparation week went smoothly. We have enough reserves not to talk about losses. I think that the players who gathered are very well prepared. During these three days, we worked really well tactically, successfully arranged the physical loads,” E. Jankauskas said on the eve of the match.

He did not hide that he hopes that in the semi-final against the Latvians, there will be players who will be a pleasant surprise and will properly use the unexpectedly fallen chance.

“All the newcomers integrated perfectly into the team, sang their introductory songs. In that sense, this was the best camp, because the quality of singing also increases every year,” joked the only Lithuanian who has managed to lift the UEFA Champions League trophy above his head. “I would really like this match to show the depth of our team. To show that even after losing so many players, we manage to maintain the same strength. We will have debutants, they are in very good form, and we are definitely looking at this semi-final very positively.”

Kristeris Toberis, Janis Ikauniekas, Renars Varslavans, and Roberts Uldrikis will not represent the Latvian national team in this window, while Eduards Daškevičs, Maksims Toniševs, Mārtiņš Kigurs, and Iļja Korotkovs have returned to the team after breaks.

“They will also be missing 3-4 players, but there will also be newcomers in the Latvian team who will want to prove their worth. If we talk about names, probably the most famous of them is Andrejs Cigaņiks. He is the most prominent figure, the most dangerous player. We will have a challenge to deal with him,” E. Jankauskas pondered.

Asked about a possible penalty shootout after the match, the Lithuanian national team coach smiled: “We practiced every day. And every day it got better.”

Arvydas Novikovas, a veteran of the national team, also participated in the press conference with E. Jankauskas.

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It is symbolic that the 35-year-old representative of Vilnius “Riteriai” will wear the national team jersey for the first time since June 2014, when they lost the Baltic Cup final in a penalty shootout, although the midfielder himself confidently converted his shot, sending the ball off the post.

“It’s always nice to come back, and now, after such a long break, it’s even nicer. The core of the team has remained, the coaching staff has not changed either, so it was not difficult to adapt. However, I will not hide it, I definitely felt excitement and even feel it now – speaking here and going onto the field,” the national team veteran did not hide.

Asked about his seventh attempt to win the trophy, A. Novikovas was somewhat surprised.

“Honestly, I didn’t even imagine there had already been six attempts. I only remember the last two perfectly, which were very painful, especially two years ago when we lost the penalty shootout. We will try to do everything to break this streak and finally win. I believe that with the help of the fans, we can do it,” A. Novikovas is convinced.

According to 15min, about 8,000 fans are expected at Saturday afternoon’s match.

Asked whether the long-awaited return is not complicated by the fact that his club “Riteriai” has been living in uncertainty for some time, A. Novikovas did not want to go into broader generalizations, but his uttered sentence was eloquent.

“I think there’s no need to mention the name of that club, because it’s not worth mentioning, especially in the context of the national team,” the midfielder said.

Lithuania also played against Latvia in the semi-finals of the previous Baltic Cup tournament two years ago and then celebrated a 2:0 victory in Liepaja, reaching the final, but there, in the Darius and Girėnas stadium, they lost to Estonia after a penalty shootout.

In total, Lithuanians have played 53 matches against their “brothers”, winning 14, drawing 11 times, and suffering 28 defeats.

Lithuanian national team squad:

Goalkeepers: Ignas Plūkas (“Sūduva”), Tomas Švedkauskas (“Kauno Žalgiris”), Arnas Voitinovičius (Lisbon “Benfica”, Portugal);

Defenders: Vilius Armalas (Budapest MTK, Hungary), Žygimantas Baltrūnas (“Sūduva”), Edvinas Kloniūnas (“TransINVEST”), Justas Lasickas (“Rijeka”, Croatia), Ričardas Šveikauskas (“TransINVEST”), Matijus Remeikis (“Hegelmann”), Artemijus Tutyškinas (“Celje”, Slovenia), Klaudijus Upstas (“Žalgiris”), Edgaras Utkus (“Al Kholood”, Saudi Arabia);

Midfielders: Gvidas Gineitis (“Torino”, Italy), Eligijus Jankauskas (Rishon LeZion “Hapoel”, Israel), Tomas Kalinauskas (Kerkrade “Roda”, Netherlands), Vaidas Magdušauskas (“Banga”), Lukas Michelbrinkas (Cottbus “Energie”, Germany), Arvydas Novikovas (“Riteriai”), Domantas Šluta (“TransINVEST”), Modestas Vorobjovas (“Istanbulspor”, Turkey)

Forwards: Motiejus Burba (“Kauno Žalgiris”), Armandas Kučys (“Celje”, Slovenia), Meinardas Mikulėnas (“Sūduva”), Ignas Venckus (“Banga”).

Latvian squad:

Goalkeepers:Rihards Matrevics (Prague “Dukla”, Czech Republic), Krišjānis Zviedris (“Riga”), Frenks Dāvis Orols (“Riga”);

Defenders: Roberts Savaļnieks (Riga RFS), Andrejs Cigaņiks (“Luzern”, Switzerland), Raivis Andris Jurkovskis (“Riga”), Antonijs Černomordijs (“Riga”), Vitālijs Jagodinskis (“Visakha”, Cambodia), Daniels Balodis (Prešov “Tatran”, Slovakia), Deniss Meļņiks (“Auda”), Roberts Veips (Riga RFS), Maksims Toņiševs (“Riga”), Iļja Korotkovs (“Liepaja”);

Midfielders: Aleksejs Saveļjevs (Talas “Asia”, Kyrgyzstan), Eduards Emsis (Riga “Super Nova”), Dmitrijs Zelenkovs (Riga RFS), Lūkas Vapne (“Sogndal” Norway), Eduards Dašķevičs (“Auda”), Mārtiņš Ķigurs (Riga RFS), Kristers Penkevics (“Zlin”, Czech Republic), Kristaps Grabovskis (“B93”, Denmark), Gļebs Žaleiko (“Jelgava”);

Forwards: Vladislavs Gutkovskis (Gdynia “Arka”, Poland), Marko Regža (“Hradec Kralove”, Czech Republic), Dario Šits (“Atletico Madrileno”, Spain).

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