2025.03.22 01:14
Jankauskas speaks about the goal of a consecrated person: our time will come, it must come
"We are sad, disappointed, but there is certainly something to be happy about and proud of," said Edgaras Jankauskas, coach of the Lithuanian men's football team, after the disappointing start of the World Cup qualifiers.
Lithuanians fought exemplary on Friday in Warsaw, but in the end they conceded a late goal and lost to the Polish national team 0:1 (0:0). The Lithuanians were punished in the 81st minute by Robert Lewandowski. It is even more disappointing because the Lithuanians themselves could have taken the lead a few minutes ago, but the golden opportunity was not used.
Matulevičius, who could have finished off a wonderful Lithuanian attack, did not use the golden opportunity
History repeats itself: Lewandowski's goal reduces Lithuanian hopes
However, despite the defeat, E. Jankauskas remained satisfied with the game of his players.
"I think we played a solid match against a powerful opponent, we knew what to expect, we prepared well for it. We knew that it would definitely not be possible to dominate here, we would be without the ball for more time, but the guys played very solidly. We played compactly when we needed to defend. When we had the ball, we played, we had clear agreements that worked.
As in every match, we created a real chance to score a goal. We knew that we would not be allowed to create many of those chances and we would not succeed, but we have to believe. I think that today the guys should and can be proud of themselves, what a job they did, how they played. Of course, we missed that goal, where I don't know, only a consecrated person can score such a goal," E. Jankauskas told Lithuanian journalists after the match.
He also assured that the time of the Lithuanian national team will come.
– Coach, don’t you have a feeling of deja vu with the previous cycle, when the team’s performance was good, but all that was missing was a positive result on the scoreboard?
– You and the spectators are probably a bit bored with the same tape playing. However, the time will come, we will break through and somehow we will win. It has to come.
– Many fans from Lithuania watched the away match. How much did that inspire your players?
– Phenomenal. We heard them during the anthem, during the match, and after the match. Many thanks on behalf of the team for that support. It really inspires the players and gives them strength. We hear and feel it. Many thanks.
– What was the main message you conveyed to the players after the match?
– The message is that we shouldn’t get used to losing, but we shouldn’t dwell on it for too long either, because the second match is coming up. The most important thing is that the players played well, there was a thought, there was self-confidence. Understanding the opponent we played against, their players play in England, Italy, in elite leagues. I think we are a bit behind them in class, but we really showed that we are close. Those components where we are somewhat behind, we compensated for with a fight today, we were very solid, compact in defense. We were good with the ball, we had good exits, good attacks. I think the Poles are very happy. I’m not saying that they didn’t deserve the victory, or that we did, but we were close to scoring, we had a real chance. Unfortunately, that story has been seen somewhere, heard somewhere.
– After that wonderful opportunity, it seemed that the match plan also changed?
– Today was a very dynamic match. As for the substitutions – we had prepared them the same, but we had to change everything. A curious thing happened – two players were supposed to go, but Pijus was forced to leave the field and in that whole meat grinder we lost one substitution. A hot match in every sense. We are sad and disappointed, but there is definitely something to be happy about and something to be proud of.
– Why did Matas Vareika wait about 15 minutes for a substitution?
– Because the substitution slips had already been submitted, and Pijus got injured, he had to be taken out, and this was already the third damaged slip. And the referee let one player in, we wanted to let two in, but unfortunately, he let one in and not the other. A curious case.
– Could that curious thing with the substitutions have hindered the Polish attack?
– We were the ones who wanted to take Domantas Antanavičius off the field, but they got mixed up, only one player was let out onto the field. No, now let's look for some excuses, blame someone... It happened as it happened, it cost us a few minutes. Of course, we lost one save.
– You say that only a consecrated striker can score such goals the goal scored by R. Lewandowski. Do you mean that ricochet here? How did you deal with R. Lewandowski in general?
– I think we handled him very well, with their entire attacking line. I didn’t see much in Robert’s game today that he would have done something or created something more. And that goal – there, perhaps, he is touched, to score like that – a ricochet, straight from the crossbar, it was impossible to cover for Edvinas. A man who has been scoring goals all his life, scoring 20-30 goals every season, one of, perhaps, the best strikers of this century – it is not surprising that it was he who scored.
– Now there is a trip ahead, will he manage to recover before Monday’s match with Finland? And what is the situation of P. Širvis?
– He pulled a muscle, I hope it’s nothing serious. We can’t afford to suffer for a long time, we need to start recovering and look at the next matches. We prepared for two matches, we know that important and very difficult matches are ahead.
– What was your main message in the locker room?
– Heads up, because the players are upset, they feel disappointed. It’s depressing, but the message is clear: heads up and we continue the same line with the same attitude, the same mentality and courage. Someday that time will come. If you leave a stadium that holds 60,000 and you’re upset – rightly upset, because we all felt that we could have left here with at least one point, then… There is that sadness, it’s not so easy to eliminate it from yourself, but you need to get it out of yourself as soon as possible and prepare for the next matches. If we continue to play like this, the goals and points will come.
https://www.lrt.lt/naujienos/sportas/10/2518461/apie-pasventinto-zmogaus-ivarti-prakalbes-jankauskas-musu-laikas-dar-ateis-turi-ateiti