Tuesday, March 19, 2024
SportInternational FootballNo return for Hampden villain Saulius Mikoliunas as Lithuania name squad for...

No return for Hampden villain Saulius Mikoliunas as Lithuania name squad for Scotland clash

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Lithuania will travel to Scotland without Hampden villain Saulius Mikoliunas after the former Hearts winger was left out of his country’s squad for next weekend’s World Cup qualifier against Scotland.

Head coach Edgaras Jankausakas has decided to overlook his former Tynecastle team-mate for the fifth successive game.

But Jankaukas has included former former Hearts attackers Arvydas Novikovas and Deividas Cesnauskis in his 23-man squad for Saturday’s Group F clash in Glasgow and the visit of Malta three days later.

lithuania
The Lithuania squad

Mikoliunas, who now plays for Zalgiris Vilnius in his homeland, spent four years at Hearts and helped the club win the 2006 Scottish Cup final, but the 32-year-old became Tartan Army public enemy number one when he dived under a challenge from Darren Fletcher in a Euro 2008 qualifier.

The visitors cancelled out Kris Boyd’s opener from the penalty spot but Stephen McManus and James McFadden scored to wrap up a 3-1 victory.

Mikoliunas more recently played at Hampden in a 1-0 Euro qualifying defeat in 2011.
However, former Hearts pair Novikovas, who now plies his trade for German side Bochum, and Trakai wing-back Cesnauskis are listed in Jankauskas’ squad.

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