Match № 41

The match № 41 (for the 9th place)

LITHUANIA – SLOVAKIA 0:0 pen. 3:4

January 11th, 2015, St. Petersburg, Peterburgsky SCC, 100 spectators

Referees: Dmitriy Veselov, Vladislav Lyashko, Roman Milevskiy

Lithuania: Adamonis, Bracevicius, Sveikauskas (c), Donela, Lasickas, Jurgelevicius, Janonis, Juska, Barauskas, Blazevicius (Virksas, 71), Megelaitis (Matulevicius, 46)

Head coach: Darius Butkus

Slovakia: Jakubech, Hornik, Kolesar, Szalay, Jirka (Cernak, 62), Mraz, Mares (Durek, 55), Vitek (Kopicar, 52), Krc (c) (Beniac, 59), Vajs (Janco, 87), Mihalik (Gorelcik, 77)

Head coach: Milan Malatinsky

Failed penalty kick: Mraz (53)

Yellow card: Mares (51)

Best players: Justas Lasickas, Jakub Krc

After match comments

Head coach of team Lithuania Darius Butkus:

– That was a difficult game. We had issues with lineup, a lot of injured players. Still, we played, and played well. I would like to congratulate organizers for invitation to the tournament. We've seen a lot of good teams showing a good football. We gained a great playing experience.

– Have you ever started official matches at 10 a.m. during your playing career to prepare the team to the morning specifics?

– No, never played. It was not a typical situation; you've seen by yourself, that for the first 15 minutes guys were sleeping. The day before they even wanted to wake up earlier to prepare for the game, but not all of them accomplished the challenge (smiles). But what can we do, if we would win more, we play at more convenient time.

– Can you sum up the participation of Lithuania in general?

– We failed at two first matches. Step by step we were going better and adapted to the pitch at last. Players managed to create a team work and looked good at the last games.

– The national team of Lithuania closes the 10 of best teams of a tournament.

– I am satisfied with taking that place within such big and representative tournament. Also I am very glad to be the best ones within Baltic teams came to St. Petersburg.

– Can you mark anyone out of your players?

– We got a saying: «That is not I who plays, but we do». Everyone for the team – that is our slogan. I don't like the idea to mark anyone. But, of course, I can't keep our goalkeeper with no attention according to the last game.

Head coach of team Slovakia Milan Malatinsky:

– That is very sad it was a last game here. That was a great tournament, we thank organizers for invitation and we hope you will invite us again. Today, both of us desired to win and I am glad we won last match, despite it were penalty shootout that brought us the victory. That's always a lottery. A paradox fact – we managed to win a game with penalty shootout, but failed to score it during the game.

– By the way, it was Samuel Mraz, having a «double» in the game with Slovakia, who failed to score that penalty kick. Is he the one who usually kicks penalty?

– No, it is a different player.

– Are you satisfied with a team performance in St. Petersburg, in general?

– We came here to train for autumn, for qualification matches. But it is very sad that we lose in a game with St. Petersburg team, on offensive 90th minute. Otherwise, we would struggle for a final.