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Lithuania get kudos from Couceiro
by Kestutis Gimbutas from Vilnius
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Saulius Mikoliunas celebrates Lithuania's
second goal in Cluj (¿Getty Images)
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Jose Couceiro saluted his squad after Lithuania earned
a startling 3-0 win in Romania in the FBK Kaunas boss's first game as
national team coach, explaining: "The players should receive all
the credit. The coaches didn't do much here."
'Historic win'
Victor Piturca's Romania were shorn of three injured star players for
the two sides' opening 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Cluj, but given
that the Tricolorii had won all six of their previous games against Lithuania,
few expected them to be so emphatically beaten. Bohemian FC midfielder
Mindaugas Kalonas, who came off the bench to set up Saulius Mikoliunas
for Lithuania's second goal and then scored the third himself, said: "It
is a historic win."
Another miracle
It was also another miraculous result for Couceiro, the 45-year-old former
FC Porto and Portugal Under-21 coach who took over as coach of Lithuania's
top club side, FBK Kaunas, early in August, leading them to a stunning
UEFA Champions League second qualifying round success against Rangers
FC before being offered his new dual role. "The players should receive
all the credit," said Couceiro. "The coaches didn't do much
here. We just helped a bit."
Mental emphasis
Not everyone would agree with that modest assessment. Lithuania prepared
for their opening Group 7 encounter with a five-day training camp in Slovakia
where Robertas Tautkus, head of national team affairs at the Lithuanian
Football Federation, noted the importance the coach placed upon his players'
mental state. Couceiro insisted he was preparing his side to play for
a victory, and certainly his tactics proved to be spot on in Cluj.
Debutants fielded
"Our goal was to deny our opponents free space and to play on the
counterattack," said Couceiro, who made the brave decision to include
two debutants, Kaunas players Linas Pilibaitis and Irmantas Zelmikas,
in his starting selection. "I think it wasn't just that we had luck
on our side, though it's very tough without it in football. We always
believed that we could win. If you don't, then you can achieve nothing."
Austria next
For defender Marius Stankevicius, who opened the scoring on Saturday with
a powerful shot from outside the area, Lithuania's cohesion was crucial.
"The team's unity is our main strength," he said. "There's
a great atmosphere in the squad. Everyone really wants to play for the
national team." Lithuania play Austria in Marijampole on Wednesday
in their next qualifier, with Karel Bruckner's side fresh from a landmark
success of their own, a 3-1 win against France.
UEFA.com,
7 September 2008
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