Bulgaria vs Lithuania Match Analysis and Prediction

Bulgaria vs Lithuania Match Analysis & Prediction

Bulgaria

14/10/2023 7:00 pm

Lithuania

by Vincent

7 months ago 0 83

DISCLAIMER: All odds are quoted at time the prediction went live. Check the sports book for updated odds

The two bottom sides in Group G will meet on Saturday when Bulgaria host Lithuania at Stadion Vasil Levski, with both teams searching for their first win in Euro 2024 qualifying.

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Neither team can qualify for the main tournament in Germany next summer, but Saturday’s game is realistically their last chance to get their first win after five successive winless matches.

Bulgaria head into the contest on the back of a disappointing match against Montenegro just over a month ago, when Mladen Krstajic’s side failed to pick up a single point despite having a player advantage for more that half an hour.

The Lions trailed 1-0 in the first half through a Stefan Savic goal in stoppage time, but then had a great chance to win the game when Igor Vujacic received his second yellow card of the game for conceding a penalty for a foul on Spas Delev and was subsequently sent off.

Kiril Despodov stepped up to take the penalty but his attempt was saved by Milan Mijatovic. However, Preslav Borukov equalised with less than 15 minutes left of normal time before Stevan Jovetic scored the winner six minutes into injury time.

That was Bulgaria’s third defeat in five matches having began their qualifying campaign with back-to-back losses against Montenegro and Hungary before claiming draws away to Lithuania and at home to Serbia.

Bulgaria have evidently had problems in the offensive end so far and are the team with the fewest goals in the group with just three scored after five matches.

On the other hand, Lithuania come into this match on the back of a 3-1 defeat to Montenegro’s neighbours Serbia.

An Alexandar Mitrovic hat-trick in the first half dashed any hopes Lithuania had of standing up to one of the group favourites, with Gytis Paulauskas pulling one back just before half time to make the result less damaging for Edgaras Jankauskas’ side.

They are the only other team in Group G without a win so far, having also only collected two points from a possible 15 through draws against Bulgaria and Montenegro, both of which came at home.

In the other meeting between the two teams in June, Lithuania took an early lead against Bulgaria, but a last-man foul by Justas Lasickas had the Lithuanians play with 10 men for more than an hour until Marin Petkov equalised just before halftime.

Bulgaria vs. Lithuania Head to head

In the four previous meetings between these two teams, Bulgaria have claimed two victories while Lithuania have won one, and they have drawn once.

20/08/2003

Bulgaria

3

Lithuania

0

Friendlies
05/09/2021

Bulgaria

1

Lithuania

0

UEFA World Cup Qualifiers
09/10/2021

Lithuania

3

Bulgaria

1

UEFA World Cup Qualifiers
17/06/2023

Lithuania

1

Bulgaria

1

Euros Qualifiers
14/10/2023

Bulgaria

N/A

Lithuania

N/A

Euros Qualifiers

Bulgaria Team News

Bulgaria have no major absentees and head coach Mladen Krstajic is expected to field his strongest XI in their usual 3-4-3 formation.

Captain Despodov should start at the centre of the attack as a centre-forward, while Lukas Petkov and Georgi Rusev will provide danger out wide as wingers.

Bulgaria's Last 5 Matches

27/03/2023

Hungary

3

Bulgaria

0

Euros Qualifiers
17/06/2023

Lithuania

1

Bulgaria

1

Euros Qualifiers
20/06/2023

Bulgaria

1

Serbia

1

Euros Qualifiers
07/09/2023

Bulgaria

0

IR Iran

1

Friendlies
10/09/2023

Montenegro

2

Bulgaria

1

Euros Qualifiers

Lithuania Team News

Lithuania are injury-free and are expected to field a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Fedor Cernych and Arvydas Novikovas supporting Paulauskas up front.

Central midfielder Gvidas Gineitis is also one of the standout players in Jankauskas’ side, and although he is only 19, he is already one of the driving forces in Lithuania’s midfield.