Northern Ireland v Lithuania (12/11/2021)

MARTYNAS DAPKUS MIDFIELD KAUNO ŽALGIRIS

OVIDIJUS VERBICKAS MIDFIELD ŽALGIRIS

ARVYDAS NOVIKOVAS MIDFIELD ERZURUMSPOR BB

AGE 28 CAPS 15 GOALS 0 Dapkus came through the national academy in Kaunas and eventually moved to Israeli giants Maccabi Haifa. Now with Kauno Zalgiris, for whom he has scored two league goals in 2021. Made his international debut in 2017 and has appeared in four of the European Group C World Cup qualifiers so far.

AGE 28 CAPS 29 GOALS 1 Verbickas began his career in the academy at Zenit St Petersburg and has played club football in Spain, Lithuania and Kazakhstan. He was voted the A Lyga Player of the Year in 2018, the same year he scored his only international goal in a 1-0 victory over Armenia. Has appeared in five World Cup qualifiers. DONATAS KAZLAUSKAS MIDFIELD ACADEMICA CLINCENI AGE 27 CAPS 29 GOALS 2 Wide man who plays his club football in Romania. Was voted the Youth Lithuanian Footballer of the Year in 2014 after scoring 12 times in 23 games for Atlantas. Later moved to Poland and has also spent time in Ukraine. He made his international debut in 2014 and his two goals came in 2019 and 2020.

AGE 30 CAPS 75 GOALS 12 Winger who has the second- most goals for Lithuania, trailing only Tomas Danilevicius’ 19 strikes. He joined Hearts in 2008 and later moved to St Johnstone and then to clubs in Germany, Poland and Turkey. Novikovas represented Lithuania Under- 21s as a 16-year-old and won his first senior cap in 2010.

JUSTAS LASICKAS MIDFIELD VOŽDOVAC AGE 24 CAPS 28 GOALS 1 Lasickas plays his club football in Serbia after

ERNESTAS VELIULIS MIDFIELD PANEVĖŽYS AGE 29 CAPS 3 GOALS 0

Veliulis represented Lithuania at Under-17 and Under-21 level and then won his first senior cap in 2016 as a substitute in a loss to Romania. An A Lyga winner in 2017, he has twice hit double figures in goals in the division – in 2014 and 2015 – while he has also previously spent time playing in Latvia.

coming through the academy at Zalgiris Vilnius. The three- time A Lyga winner represented his country at Under-19 and Under-21 level and made his senior debut in 2018. Lasickas’ first international goal came in last month’s 3-1 win over Bulgaria. FEDOR ČERNYCH FORWARD JAGIELLONIA AGE 30 CAPS 69 GOALS 11 Born in Russia, Cernych started his senior career in Belarus and was a prolific goalscorer in Poland. Moved to Dynamo Moscow but now back in the Polish top flight. A two-time Lithuanian Footballer of the Year in 2016 and 2017, he bagged a brace in last month’s win over Bulgaria. AGE 26 CAPS 1 GOALS 0 Armanavicius only made his senior international debut last month as a late substitute in the 4-0 loss to Switzerland. Prior to that he had featured for his country at Under-19 and Under-21 level. A regular for A Lyga side Hegelmann Litauen, he has scored six times in 32 league appearances this term. VILIUS ARMANAVIČIUS FORWARD FC HEGELMANN

EDGARAS DUBICKAS FORWARD PIACENZA CALCIO AGE 23 CAPS 5 GOALS 0

KAROLIS LAUKŽEMIS FORWARD KAISAR AGE 29 CAPS 23 GOALS 2

Another who plays his club football in Italy, Dubickas’ former clubs include Lecce and Livorno. Having previously

Nomadic striker who has played for clubs in Lithuania, Latvia, Croatia, Slovenia, Malta and now Kazakhstan. Has been in good form having scored eight times in 25 league appearances this term. Laukzemis made his international debut in 2018 and he started both of the World Cup qualifiers last month.

represented Lithuania at Under-21 level, Dubickas

made his senior debut in a 4-0 friendly loss to Spain in June 2021. Started three World Cup qualifiers in September, including the game against Northern Ireland. ARMANDAS KUČYS FORWARD KALMAR AGE 18 CAPS 0 GOALS 0 The new name in this Lithuania squad. Kucys plays his club football in Sweden and the teenager has been called up to his country’s senior squad for the first time. He is the son of Aurimas Kucys, who won 17 caps for his country between 2002 and 2009 and still plays today in Latvia.

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