Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the friendly between Ireland and Lithuania.
The Republic of Ireland take on Lithuania in a friendly on Tuesday evening. Here is everything you need to know about the game, including squad news, form and TV channel details.
Who are Ireland playing against?
Kenny’s side will play Lithuania in a friendly match at the Aviva Stadium.
Lithuania are currently ranked 137th in the world and will represent a starkly different test to Belgium, the world’s number one ranked team who drew 2-2 with Ireland last Saturday.
They have won two of their last 10 games – a 3-1 win against Bulgaria in a World Cup qualifier and a friendly victory over San Marino.
Lithuania finished bottom of their qualification group for the World Cup, behind Switzerland, Italy, Northern Ireland and Bulgaria. They lost home and away to Northern Ireland.
Ireland and Lithuania have faced other four times, with Ireland winning three of the games. Their last meeting was a World Cup qualifier back in 1997, when Ireland won 2-1.
Ireland v Lithuania: What is at stake?
It is a friendly match, so there is nothing directly on the line for Ireland or Lithuania.
For the home side, however, it is a chance to register some co-efficient points to improve their world ranking and build on Saturday’s positive result against Belgium.
Ireland’s game against Lithuania will also act as preparation for the Uefa Nations League, which gets underway in June.
The national team have been drawn against Ukraine, Scotland and Armenia in the tournament.
What is Ireland’s form going into the game against Lithuania?
Kenny has been in charge for 21 matches as Ireland manager and has recorded four wins so far. The national team, however, appeared to turn a corner at the end of 2021 after struggling throughout 2020.
Last October, Ireland registered a 3-0 win over Azerbaijan and a 4-0 victory against Qatar. The form of Callum Robinson, who scored five goals for the Boys in Green in the two games, was key for Kenny’s team.
In November, they followed up those positive results with a goalless draw against Portugal in Dublin and a 3-0 win over Luxembourg.
Kenny’s team played out a 2-2 draw with Belgium on Saturday. Roberto Martinez’s team did not have any players with more than 50 caps in their side, but it was still a positive result for the Boys in Green.
There are encouraging signs as Ireland head into the Nations League campaign in the summer and, more importantly, the qualification campaign for Euro 2024.
What TV channel is the Ireland v Lithuania match on?
The Ireland v Lithuania match will not be shown on terrestrial television in Ireland. No highlights programme will be shown either.
You can, however, watch the friendly match live on Sky Sports Arena.
The game kicks off at 7:45 pm, and Sky Sports’ coverage begins at 7:40 pm.
Who is in the Ireland squad?
Kenny named a 25-man squad for the games against Belgium and Lithuania. Gavin Bazunu, Mark Travers and Darragh Lenihan were originally in the squad but pulled out due to injury or illness.
Goalkeepers: Caoimhin Kelleher (Liverpool), Max O’Leary (Bristol City), James Talbot (Bohemians).
Defenders: Seamus Coleman (Everton), Matt Doherty (Tottenham Hotspur), Ryan Manning (Swansea City), James McClean (Wigan Athletic), Shane Duffy (Brighton and Hove Albion), John Egan (Sheffield United), Nathan Collins (Burnley), Dara O’Shea (West Bromwich Albion), Jimmy Dunne (QPR).
Midfielders: Conor Hourihane (Sheffield United, on loan from Aston Villa), Josh Cullen (Anderlecht), Jeff Hendrick (QPR, on loan from Newcastle United), Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion, on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion), Alan Browne (Preston North End), Jason Knight (Derby County), Mark Sykes (Oxford United).
Forwards: Callum Robinson (West Bromwich Albion), Troy Parrott (MK Dons, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur), Will Keane (Wigan Athletic), Scott Hogan (Birmingham City), Chiedozie Ogbene (Rotherham United), Connor Ronan (St. Mirren, on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers).
The 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙧𝙚 from @EdozieOgbene 🤌
The header from @Alan__Browne 💪
The celebrations of the @AVIVAStadium 😎Start your week right and watch this 👇#COYBIG | #WeAreOne | #WeAre100 pic.twitter.com/4KIB57foUk
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) March 28, 2022
What is Ireland’s starting line-up?
Kenny named his Ireland starting XI an hour before kick-off.
Here’s the much-changed team from Saturday’s draw with Belgium.
Kelleher; Collins, Egan, O’Shea; Doherty, Browne, Hourihane, Manning; Ogbene, Keane, Robinson.
Kenny made six changes to the starting XI, with Duffy, Coleman, McClean, Cullen, Hendrick and Knight dropping out, and Collins, O’Shea, Browne, Hourihane, Manning and Keane coming into the side.
STARTING XI | Ireland v Lithuania
Six changes from the 2-2 draw against Belgium as No.9 Will Keane is handed his first start for Ireland 👍
Five Cork-men in the starting XI as John Egan captains the side 🇮🇪#COYBIG | #WeAreOne | #WeAre100 pic.twitter.com/zHf1lT1g0Z
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) March 29, 2022
Related links.
- Stephen Kenny: Belgium struggled against Ireland’s ‘relentless pressing’.
- Belgium manager Roberto Martinez praises Ireland performance in 2-2 draw.
- Ireland player ratings as Stephen Kenny’s team draw 2-2 with Belgium in Dublin.
