Euro 2016

[monks data]

European Championship | Qualifiers

Oct 9, 2015 at 7.45pm UK

Slovenia
1-1
Lithuania Lithuania

Birsa (45' pen.)

FT(HT: 1-0)

Novikovas (79' pen.)

Match Report

Football

Lithuania hit back to hold Slovenia

By Callum Mulvihill, Reporter | 09 October 2015

Arvydas Novikovas scores a late penalty to earn Lithuania a 1-1 draw as Slovenia's hopes of qualifying automatically for Euro 2016 are dashed.

Slovenia have missed the chance to keep their Euro 2016 qualification hopes alive after being held to a 1-1 draw by Lithuania in Euro 2016 qualifying.

Lithuania suggested that it could be a difficult evening for the hosts by limiting the space on offer in the early stages, with Jasmin Kurtic testing Emilijus Zubas with a strike from the edge of the box.

The home side improved as the first half progressed to push the visiting defence back, but chances were tough to come by as they searched for the breakthrough.

Slovenia's Dejan Lazarevic (C) vies with Lithuania's Georgas Freidgeimas (L) during the Euro 2016 Group E qualifying football match between Slovenia and Lithuania at the Stozice stadium in Ljubljana, Slovenia on October 9, 2015. © Getty Images

Slovenia were gifted the opportunity to take the lead just before the break when Marius Zaliukas brought down Kurtic inside the box.

It was Valter Birsa who stepped up from 12 yards and he kept his composure to send Zubas the wrong way with the penalty.

Slovenia went in search of a vital second goal as they dominated after the interval, with Dejan Lazarevic sending an effort just over from the edge of the box.

Zubas then came to the rescue to keep Lithuania in the game with a fine save to deny Robert Beric as Slovenia threatened to run away with the match.

It was a save which proved to be vital as Lithuania claimed a point with four minutes of normal time remaining when Branko Ilic conceded a penalty for Arvydas Novikovas, who stepped up to fire past Sami Handanovic as Slovenia were left with the task of clinching their playoff spot in the final game.