World Cup 2006

Qualifying match

Lithuania 0 - Spain 0

Lithuania: Karcemarskas; Stankevicius, Barasa, Skerla, Dziaukstas; Skarbalijus, Vencevicius, Edgaras Cesnaukis, Gedgaudas (Mikoliunas 75'); Danilevicius (Radzinevicius 82'), Jankauskas. 4-4-2.
Spain: Casillas; Salgado, Puyol, Marchena, Capdevila (Fernando Torres 79'); Albelda, Baraja (Reyes 65'); Víctor (Tamudo 53'), Xavi, Luque; Raúl. 4-2-3-1.

Goals: None.

Spain's full international side followed in the footsteps of their youth team, and were unable to do more than draw their group qualifying match on a frozen pitch in Lithuania. Luis Aragonés put out a defensive side at first, with Raúl playing alone up front and five men in midfield, including Baraja, Víctor and Luque who all came in to the side along with Capdevila. But they were fortunate not to be behind at the break, Puyol clearing an effort from Cesnauskas off the line on the half hour mark and Casillas saving from Stankevicius close to half time.

The only threat to Lithuania in the first half had come from Luque, who had been unlucky not to get a penalty early on, and the Deportivo forward opened the second half with a couple of efforts which did not cause too many problems for the defence. Aragonés threw on Tamudo and then Reyes, but the former wasted a couple of chances and the latter was out of position. And when Torres came on ten minutes from the end to make it five attacking players on the field together, the only thing they achieved was to get in each other's way in front of a packed defence.

Lithuania were still though a danger on the breakaway, Zutaustas shooting wide after Barasas set him up and Puyol closing down another attack by ex Real Sociedad striker Jankauskas. But otherwise the play was all in the local's half, and Spain could have won it in the last minute when Karcemarskas somehow got a hand to Xavi's curling free kick and then blocked Raúl on the follow up. It was another disappointing performance though from Aragonés's side, and they ended the day in third place in their group, two points behind leaders Serbia.