Lithuania vs Netherlands: will the Dutch secure a convincing victory?
On Monday, September 7, Lithuania will take on the Netherlands in a 2026 World Cup qualifying match. The clash will be held in Lithuania and is set to kick off at 18:00 CET. Here’s my prediction for this showdown.
Lithuania vs Netherlands: match preview
Lithuania kicked off their qualifying campaign with a 0-2 loss to Poland. The team has already played four matches in total, and the results have been far from impressive. The Lithuanians drew 2-2 with Finland, then played out a goalless draw with Malta, and in the previous round, they once again shared the points with Malta – 1-1. After four games, Lithuania have collected just three points. They only sit above Malta in the table and are four points behind the group leaders. With stronger opponents ahead, it will be tough for them to count on a positive outcome.
The Netherlands have played three qualifiers so far. The Oranje started with a confident 2-0 win over Finland, then demolished Malta 8-0. However, in their third match, they failed to beat Poland at home. Having led 1-0, they let the advantage slip and conceded, finishing 1-1 and collecting seven points. On the bright side, the Netherlands have played one match fewer than their group rivals, so they remain the main favorites to top the group—and, naturally, favorites in this encounter as well.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Lithuania are winless in their last 12 matches.
- The Netherlands are unbeaten in three games and have only lost once in their last seven outings.
- The Netherlands have scored at least once in seven consecutive matches.
- These national teams have never faced each other in official competition.
Probable lineups
- Lithuania: Gertmonas; Upstas, Girdvainis, Beneta, Tutiškinas; Vorobjovas, Sirgedas, Lasickas, Gineitis, Dolnikov; Paulauskas.
- Netherlands: Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van Hecke, Van Dijk, Van de Ven; Gravenberch, Reijnders, De Jong; Simons, Gakpo; Weghorst.
Prediction
It’s clear that the Netherlands are the outright favorites for this clash, and I believe they will cruise to victory. Especially after dropping points in the previous round, the Oranje will be eager to bounce back. My bet: Netherlands total over 2.5 goals at odds of 1.6.
