Spain v Lithuania Live Commentary & Result, 08/06/21, Friendlies

Next up for the visitors will be Northern Ireland in September then - but now, it is Euro 2020 time for Spain, with Sweden first up out of the gate in Seville. Until then however, thank you for joining us - and have a great week!

Lithuania meanwhile will have to ready themselves for a long, hard road in the autumn. Their chances of being in Qatar next year are slim, to put it mildly. They have some work to do.

Luis de la Fuente, take a bow. Five days after a painful defeat, he has rallied the troops in the hour of need and they have responded. Euro 2020 is not their final destination, but they will give their senior compatriots plenty of reasons to be cheerful.

Second-half goals for Juan Miranda and Javier Puado puts a fitting capstone on a coming-of-age performance for Spain's young guns, as their youth side deliver a senior-style demolition of Lithuania in this international friendly. The nation's under-21 cohort has done them proud in victory; full-time at Leganes, it finishes Spain 4-0 Lithuania.

90' + 2' FULL-TIME: SPAIN 4-0 LITHUANIA

90' There will be two added minutes in this game.

89' Ruiz pulls up with a late issue here, overstretched as he goes for the ball and going down untouched. He's able to get back on his feet; it may well just be cramp at this stage.

87' Both sides look to have made their changes for good now. Dusk has long since faded into the night above Leganes, but it's still a warm evening as this one winds down with a spell of Lithuania pressure.

85' Megelaitis comes again for Lithuania and skies a right-footed effort well over the crossbar. It's a flurry that is far too little and far too late.

83' Even in these late stages, Spain's youngsters are still playing with such verve and tenacity. It's been a buoyant, joyful occasion for them.

81' Tautvydas Eliosius finally notches another shot for his nation, but this one is saved comfortably in the top-right corner.

80' Lithuania - who will not be winning the Baltic Cup after those two losses - will be left looking down the gun of what could be a miserable qualification campaign for Qatar 2022 after this. As a solo nation, they have never made a major tournament.

78' As this game closes in on its final act, to confirm; Spain have four goals from 16 shots, and a missed penalty. Lithuania have managed just the three efforts on goal.

76' Puado almost nabs a brace! He tries a lofted effort, one that just skews the wrong side of the top-right corner of the goal-frame.

E. Dubickas

A. Novikovas

75' Edgaras Dubickas replaces Arvydas Novikovas for Lithuania a moment later.

Fran Beltrán

Gonzalo Villar

74' Fran Beltran replaces Gonzalo Villar for Spain in the hosts' latest swap.

Bryan Gil

Assist

72' Bryan Gil might be on his way to the man of the match gong. He has been everywhere.

Javi Puado

Goal

72' GOAL! JAVIER PUADO MAKES IT FOUR FOR SPAIN! 4-0! Another fine goal for the hosts, and this time it is Bryan Gil who tips a short cross in for the substitute to find. He cuts back in on himself, turns two defenders around and batters a close-range effort past Svedkauskas. Game, set and match - as it has been for a while.

J. Lasickas

D. Šimkus

71' Justas Lasickas replaces Domantas Simkus for the visitors too.

T. Eliošius

P. Golubickas

71' Tautvydas Eliosius replaces Paulius Golubickas in Lithuania's next change.

70' The occasion has undoubtedly been bizarre, but you'll never take this moment away from so many of these Spain players. Plenty may go on to become international mainstays over the next decade, while several may be one and done here. But this cap will mark them out as a full international for their country forever now.

Josep Martínez

Álvaro Fernández

68' Spain return with another change, this time in goal - Josep Martinez replaces Alvaro Fernandez.

66' We're having a quick water break now, as both sides recharge ahead of the final quarter here.

64' The biggest drawback to this performance of course is out of Spain's hands - it is that they will go into their Euro 2020 opener with Sweden next Monday lacking that crucial second run-out. Their opponents won't be a pushover too.

V. Gašpuitis

S. Mikoliūnas

62' Vytas Gaspuitis also arrives for the visitors, in place of Saulius Mikoliunas.

M. Dapkus

O. Verbickas

62' Martynas Dapkus replaces Ovidijus Verbickas now in Lithuania's next change.

61' More movement on the Lithuania bench. What can they do to salvage some dignity here?

59' Just think, if Ruiz hadn't fluffed that penalty, this could be 4-0 inside the hour. You've got to go back to 1993 and the pair's first meeting for the biggest scoreline - a 5-0 drubbing from the Spaniards. That is still in reaching distance here.

57' Valdas Urbonas looks like a man who may try to shrink into the hedgerow at any given moment. His side have been outmatched by a fearsome shot of youthful adrenaline and they look a little blindsided by it all.

55' That has taken the wind out of Lithuania's sails, to put it mildly. It's a little bit like watching a bouncy castle deflate suddenly after somebody leapt on it wearing ice skates. Spain have reasserted their control of this game in a swift power move.

Juan Miranda

Goal

53' GOAL! JUAN MIRANDA, THAT IS SUPERB FOR SPAIN! 3-0! It's a sensational set-piece for the Real Betis loanee! He slips an absolute peach over the wall from the resulting free-kick, just outside the box. It clips a head on the way through, and Svedkauskas lands a glove, but it is not enough to stop it from finding its way in at the near-right post. Top drawer!

Antonio Blanco

Martín Zubimendi

53' Antonio Blanco replaces Martin Zubimendi as part of those changes.

Javi Puado

Manu García

53' Javier Puado replaces Garcia because of that injury in the end, as part of a double change for Spain.

52' That is a bloody nose for Manu Garcia and he looks to have played the last minutes of his game now. Spain are already stripping more changes to throw on in response.

O. Verbickas

Yellow Card

50' Verbickas catches Manu Garcia with a swinging arm to the face and the latter crumples in the challenge. The former gets booked as medical staff flood onto the pitch to make sure the latter is fine.

48' There's already a little more bite from the visitors as they look to maintain a slightly higher line in these opening exchanges. It will be interesting to see if they can keep that up.

D. Petravičius

F. Černych

46' Deimantas Petravicius meanwhile replaces Fedor Chernykh for Lithuania.

Alejandro Pozo

Óscar Gil

46' Alejandro Pozo also replaces Oscar Gil for the hosts.

Juan Miranda

Marc Cucurella

46' Unsurprisingly for a friendly, changes have been made. For Spain, Juan Miranda replaces Marc Cucurella.

46' We are back underway for the second half in Leganes.

If there is going to be the need for any last-minute call-ups, it is unlikely that we'll see anyone from this cohort make the cut at Euro 2020 - Luis Enrique already has a pool of players training parallel if required. But no-one here is doing themselves a disservice.

Goals for Hugo Guillamon and Brahim Diaz have made it a senior call-up to remember for Spain's youth stars, as they have proven more than capable deputies to the absent Euro 2020 squad in this friendly against Lithuania in Leganes. The visitors have started to show a little more teeth - but is it too late already? At half-time, it is Spain 2-0 Lithuania.

45' + 2' HALF-TIME: SPAIN 2-0 LITHUANIA

F. Černych

Yellow Card

45' + 2' Cernych picks up the first booking of the game now for a scrappy foul, which just winds the clock down further.

45' There will be two added minutes in this first half.

43' Simkus pushes a subsequent effort wide. At two goals down, hope remains - but they will need to truly impose themselves after the break, which is no easy feat.

42' Simkus wins a free-kick for Lithuania now. Briefly, the clouds part across his team-mate's faces. They've been doing it tough today.

40' Ruiz wrestles a half-volley over the crossbar now, turning on a dime inside the penalty area. Lithuania could be three or four down, easily, if their hosts had their eye in.

39' What a chance that was for Spain! A slippery cut-back is found by Mingueza at close-range, but he can't guide it past the stationary Svedkauskas who, unprepared for the shot, feels the blow of the ball on his chest.

38' Bryan Gil wins his side their fourth corner of the game, with a neat attempted cross, but the visitors do enough this time to see off the immediate danger.

36' Lithuania haven't had less ball than perhaps the scoreline - and the tempo - suggests. They're hovering at the 40 per cent mark - which is still likely too low for what they will have hoped from this game.

34' In a rare bit of action down the other end of the field, Lithuania win themselves a corner. It's cracked in with good power, but Girdvainis sticks his header well wide of the mark.

32' Spain, quite clearly at this stage, can afford a failed spot-kick however. They are absolutely cruising through dreamland. Luis de la Fuente is making a great future audition for wherever he may go after this today.

T. Švedkauskas

Penalty Save

30' All the credit to Svedkauskas. He read that one to perfection.

Abel Ruiz

Penalty Miss

30' Ruiz steps up - and it is saved! That is a poor penalty and he knows it, tickled low towards the left post and read easily enough by Svedkauskas. The power on it wouldn't even shift a blancmange if kicked.

29' Penalty to Spain! Beneta is deemed to have dragged down Bryan Gil and the referee points to the spot! The Lithuania man is absolutely fuming with that one.

27' Diaz comes again now, prodding an effort at close-range only to see it blocked. He's getting all over the park.

Gonzalo Villar

Assist

24' Villar is the man who lays that ball on and he picks the perfect option out. There's an element of this that feels like a contested training run, but what a touch that is from the Roma man.

Brahim Díaz

Goal

24' GOAL! BRAHIM DIAZ DOUBLES SPAIN'S LEAD! 2-0! The Milan loanee is fed through on the right side of the box, picks his spot, and fires a beauty in at the far top corner. A wonderful strike!

22' Garcia responds with an off-target effort of his own, skimming a low shot wide of the right post. Under the evening sunshine in Spain - it has been a hot day - it looks to be a beautiful summer feel to this contest for those who are present.

20' Chernykh finally cocks a shot for Lithuania, but it is comfortably wayward. Still, it's an effective enough warning sign that they can create things too.

18' Spain fans must be delighted with what they are seeing so far. It's very hard to not be positive about the future when their youth side is ruling the roost here, even if admittedly against a European minnow.

16' Ruiz now rises to meet a wonderful cut-back ball from Oscar Gil off the right wing, and dashes it straight into Svedkauskas' gloves. Spain remain lively with a quarter-hour gone.

14' They are - but not lucky enough to avoid the offside trap. Lithuania are untroubled this time around.

13' Simkus sideswipes Diaz now and Spain will have a free-kick some 35 yards out in midfield. This is strong set-piece territory if they are feeling lucky.

11' Cucurella promptly tees up - and then skies - an effort from just outside the penalty area, before Lithuania are handed a get-out-of-jail card thanks to Oscar Gil felling Vaitkunas. This could be a long one for them.

9' Getafe's Marc Cucurella, hair billowing in the wind, is playing absolute havoc with that left wing so far. The visitors just don't seem to have the answers. They may need to ride their luck here to avoid a second in the first half-hour.

7' Lithuania have struggled to find their feet so far, caught in the crosswind of Spanish energy, and even when they win a free-kick on halfway, they play it back, unwilling to attack hard. Their hosts pick their pockets and swiftly put them under the cosh again.

5' Luis de la Fuente has plenty of reasons to be cheerful. This has been a blistering start from his side. If he was looking for a response from that semi-final loss, he's got it.

Hugo Guillamón

Goal

3' GOAL! HUGO GUILLAMON MAKES IT A DREAM DEBUT FOR SPAIN! 1-0! It has not taken them long, but this young Spain side are already ahead! The Valencia breakout is the man who finds the net, slashing home a low finish in at the far post after bodies were piled into the box for a short reverse corner. What a start!

3' There's plenty of early spark from the young hosts, in front of a pockmarked stadium, with a few early high presses. Ruiz pounds around after the ball; this is a side who look full of beans. Bryan Gil spears a shot in and sees it deflected out for a corner.

1' We are underway in this international friendly between Spain and Lithuania!

The teams have emerged in Leganes and we are moments away from kick-off.

So, could this be the first time that Lithuania and coach Valdas Urbonas taste victory over their hosts? They've been handed an unexpected challenge, one arguably all the more winnable - but their young opponents are hardly likely to roll over.

It's been a decade since these sides last met, in a pair of qualifiers for Euro 2012. and they've played six prior encounters in all. Spain have won them all - except for a lone 0-0 draw in October 2004 - and Lithuania have scored only two cumulative goals overall.

Subs: Karolis Silkaitis, Sigitas Olberkis, Karolis Laukzemis, Deimantas Petravicius, Titas Krapikas, Justas Lasickas, Vytas Gaspuitis, Edgaras Dubickas, Martynas Dapkus, Donatas Kazlauskas, Deividas Mikelionis, Tautvydas Eliosius.

LITHUANIA (4-2-3-1): Tomas Svedkauskas; Saulius Mikoliunas, Markas Beneta, Edvinas Girdvainis, Egidijus Vaitkunas; Linas Megelaitis, Domantas Simkus; Arvydas Novikovas, Paulius Golubickas, Ovidijus Verbickas; Fedor Chernykh.

Subs: Juan Miranda, Fran Beltran, Jorge Cuenca, Josep Martínez, Inaki Pena, Antonio Blanco, Yeremi Pino, Javier Puado.

SPAIN (4-1-4-1): Alvaro Fernandez; Oscar Gil, Oscar Mingueza, Hugo Guillamon, Marc Cucurella; Martin Zubimendi; Brahim Diaz, Gonzalo Villar, Manu Garcia, Bryan Gil; Abel Ruiz.

With no Luis Enrique comes Spain's under-21 boss Luis de la Fuente into the fold - and he has made only two changes to his last fielded side. Hugo Guillamon and Abel Ruiz get the nod. Lithuania make a pair of swaps too from the side beat by Latvia in the Baltic Cup: Linas Megelaitis and Paulius Golubickas both start.

Lithuania, who are not headed to Euro 2020 after taking just one point from Group B in qualification, will hope to capitalise though on their hosts' disarray and take what would still be considered a famous result. They have lost all five games this year, having last won against Kazakhstan in November.

But opportunity now knocks - and how! - for several of their players. Effectively, this is Spain's under-21 squad, the same that lost their own semi-final to Portugal last week - and now, the majority of them will earn their maiden senior cap just five days later.

A positive Covid-19 test for captain Sergio Busquets threw their camp into disarray - and though the rest of their squad has since come back negative, the short turnaround over the weekend means that their senior squad entirely sits out their final warm-up.

Talk about the worst possible build-up. Though reigning Euro 2016 champs Portugal couldn't get the better of them in their first warm-up friendly, Luis Enrique's side have had the preparations from hell since then.

Hello and welcome to this pre-Euro 2020 international friendly, as tournament hopefuls Spain - or, rather, sort-of Spain - face off with Lithuania in their final warm-up game at Estadio Municipal de Butarque in Leganes.

Spain v Lithuania Live Commentary, 09/06/21

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