After regular time, the scoreboard showed a tied result of 1:1. Maksim Tonishev responded to Armandas Kučys’ accurate shot in the 28th minute after an hour of play.
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However, in the subsequent penalty shootout drama, the hosts smiled.
“The match was very difficult, but we expected it. We know the specifics of summer windows, they are always tougher. We started very well and allowed the opponents almost nothing to create. They had their only chance after our corner kick, but we ourselves had three or four excellent opportunities. The second half could have been much calmer if we had scored,” said A. Kučys, the author of the only Lithuanian goal, after the match.
According to him, the penalty shootout did not scare the Lithuanians. According to the “Celje” forward, our team was prepared for such a scenario.
“We knew it could happen, so we practiced after every training session. There were no jokes, and that concentration was visible in the match. Everyone shot very confidently. Lukas Michelbrink was unlucky, but what can you do, that’s football – we are a team. Thank God, we also got lucky sometime,” said the forward.
After the duel, the Lithuanians still didn’t know who they would play against in the final.
“Of course, it would be nicer to play at home with the Faroe Islands team, but that depends little on us,” said the Panevėžys native, who has already scored 6 goals for the national team.
Edgaras Utkus provided an assist to him, impressively winning an aerial duel and with the same touch passing the ball to his teammate who was already waiting for it.
“As I went up in the air, I already saw that Armandas was free, but I really didn’t notice that the Latvian defenders were so far away. It’s great that I managed to deliver the ball exactly there,” E. Utkus recalled one of the most important episodes of the match.
“We know that Edgar wins almost 80% of such aerial duels. I saw that the defenders were wide, so when I received such a ball, the most important thing was to make a good first touch. It worked, then I had to decide,” A. Kučys smiled.
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E. Utkus was the first to shoot in the penalty shootout and gave his teammates a huge psychological boost with a confident strike.
“We hadn’t discussed it in training yet, but after 90 minutes we decided that I would go first. It went well,” the Radviliškis native rejoiced.
Looking ahead to the final, the central defender noted a slight drop in the game’s curve in the second half.
“In the first half, we played very solidly, but after the break, it was a bit tougher. The most important thing is that we fought until the end. We would like to avoid inconsistencies in the final and maintain the same level throughout the match,” E. Utkus looked ahead to the final match against the Estonians.
However, Tomas Švedkauskas became the hero of the evening, saving Kristians Penkevics’ decisive shot.
“It’s a shame we ended up in that penalty shootout, because we could have won more easily. However, in the second half, fatigue was already felt. It seemed like both teams were waiting for penalties. And so it was,” said the goalkeeper.
However, he did not hide that winning in such a way, as a goalkeeper, is especially sweet.
“We prepared for the penalty shootout quite responsibly. We both shot ourselves and analyzed the Latvian players’ shots. Some shot as we knew they would, some – differently. However, the decisive penalty was exactly as written on the water bottle. But even before that, I could have “pulled off” two,” the Lithuanian national team’s goalkeeper did not lack good spirits. “The feeling is wonderful. Since we shot first, the saved penalty immediately meant victory. It’s joyful, it’s fun, the fans support us, but we must not forget that this is just one step. The final awaits.”
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