SCOTLAND face Lithuania in a qualifier for the ninth time since 1998 today. Here’s how the Baltic nation shapes up. FORM Lithuania are ranked 117th in the world and have only won two games – against San Marino and Estonia – in two years. But they have shown real signs of improvement since Edgaras Jankauskas took over in January. They started off in impressive fashion, netting twice in three minutes, in their first half against Slovenia. They led until the final 40 seconds before having to settle for a 2-2 draw.
MANAGER Jankauskas knows plenty about Scottish football – he helped Hearts win the Scottish Cup there in 2006 having scored in a semi-final win over Hibernian. The 41-year-old who won the Champions League with Jose Mourinho’s Porto later coached at Tynecastle under John McGlynn and Gary Locke in the 2012-13 season. His appointment for the national team came amid a wider modernisation at the Lithuanian federation. TACTICS Jankauskas is eager to shed Lithuania’s defensive image and has added a pace and verve to the team’s attacking play. PLAYERS The squad includes former Hearts players, Deividas Cesnauskis and Arvydas Novikovas. Novikovas poses a threat on the wing with his skill and pace. Their main goal threat comes from skipper Fedor Cernych.
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