Lithuania vs Azerbaijan: A Different Kind of Test Awaits in Kaunas

Lithuania have already put three points on the board, but the next challenge asks different questions of Edgaras Jankauskas’ side. Their 2–0 victory away to Liechtenstein gave them the ideal opening to the Nations League campaign, with Lukas Michelbrink and Artūr Dolžnikov providing the goals after half-time. Azerbaijan enter their first competitive match of the group after beating Tajikistan 1–0 in a friendly on September 23. The visitors therefore arrive without a Matchday 1 result in the group but with a recent victory behind them. With Lithuania leading Group D2 after the opening round, the Kaunas meeting immediately brings the two sides into the same competitive frame. The official schedule also places another Lithuania-Azerbaijan meeting in Baku on October 4, but Jankauskas has stressed that his team is concentrating only on Sunday’s match.

⚠️ Confirmed Squad Availability

Lithuania

Lithuania Injury Update
Out / Ruled Out	Pijus Širvys	Injury; unavailable for this match

Pijus Širvys is the confirmed Lithuanian absence after Jankauskas stated before the match that the defender will not be able to play because of injury during this international window. No officially confirmed long-term injury was identified in the current LFF material reviewed for this fixture. Lithuania’s first match also showed that the squad can change during the game without losing its overall structure, with Artūr Dolžnikov coming on and scoring against Liechtenstein. Jankauskas has indicated that selection decisions will also consider physical condition, club playing time and the time players have had since previous injuries. That means the final team selection may contain changes even beyond the confirmed absence of Širvys. The important point is that no additional injury has been treated as confirmed here without an official source.

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan Injury Update
Questionable	Mahir Emreli	Injury suffered against Tajikistan; final decision on involvement left to head coach Aykhan Abbasov

Azerbaijan’s latest medical update concerns Mahir Emreli and Abdulla Khaybulayev after the friendly against Tajikistan. The report states that neither injury was considered serious. Khaybulayev was expected to be fit for the Lithuania match, so he has not been placed in the questionable category. Emreli is different because the decision on whether he will feature was left to head coach Aykhan Abbasov. That makes his status the only Azerbaijan availability issue specifically requiring a late decision in the sources reviewed. No confirmed long-term Azerbaijan injury was identified in the latest official-information trail available before kick-off.

🟢 Matchday Personnel and Lineup Status

The official starting XIs had not been released at the time this preview was prepared, so no predicted eleven is being presented as a confirmed lineup. Lithuania’s team is led by head coach Edgaras Jankauskas, while Azerbaijan are managed by Aykhan Abbasov. Gvidas Gineitis was part of Lithuania’s starting side in the opening victory and remains one of the midfield figures publicly discussed before this fixture. Azerbaijan’s announced squad includes experienced internationals such as Emin Mahmudov, Toral Bayramov, Anton Krivotsyuk and Mahir Emreli. The tables below therefore identify confirmed personnel and relevant match roles rather than inventing a starting XI. The final lineups should only be treated as official once the teams publish their matchday selections.

Lithuania — Key Personnel

Lithuania Key Personnel
Head Coach	Edgaras Jankauskas	Lithuania national team head coach
Midfielder	Gvidas Gineitis	Started the 2–0 win over Liechtenstein
Forward	Armandas Kučys	Named in Lithuania’s September squad
Attacking Player	Artūr Dolžnikov	Scored after coming on against Liechtenstein

Azerbaijan — Key Personnel

Azerbaijan Key Personnel
Head Coach	Aykhan Abbasov	Azerbaijan national team head coach
Midfielder	Emin Mahmudov	Included in the September national-team squad
Midfielder	Toral Bayramov	Included in the September national-team squad
Forward	Mahir Emreli	Availability subject to final decision

📰 What the Press Is Saying Before Kick-Off

The pre-match discussion in Lithuanian football has centered on whether the home side can transfer the control shown in Liechtenstein into a more demanding contest. LFF reports that Jankauskas described Azerbaijan as stronger and more technically capable than Lithuania’s opening opponent, while also pointing to their international experience. The Lithuanian federation’s pre-match coverage has specifically highlighted set pieces and fast attacks as areas Azerbaijan’s representatives identified in Lithuania’s game. Gvidas Gineitis separately described Azerbaijan as physically strong and possessing players capable of succeeding in one-on-one situations. UEFA’s Matchday 2 preview places Lithuania-Azerbaijan among the League D fixtures and notes that Lithuania opened the campaign with a 2–0 victory in Liechtenstein. The wider pre-match picture is therefore focused on Lithuania’s attempt to build on a winning start against an Azerbaijan side beginning its competitive campaign.

• Standings context: Lithuania have three points after Matchday 1, while Azerbaijan are playing their first Nations League match of the campaign.
• Recent results: Lithuania defeated Liechtenstein 2–0; Azerbaijan defeated Tajikistan 1–0 in a friendly.
• Tactical theme: Lithuania have been discussing transitions, set pieces and the need to handle Azerbaijan’s technical and physical qualities.
• Selection issue: Pijus Širvys is ruled out for Lithuania, while Mahir Emreli remains subject to a final decision for Azerbaijan.
• Venue: The match is scheduled for Dariaus and Girėnas Stadium in Kaunas.

🎯 The Tactical Question in Kaunas

One of the clearest tactical themes is the space created immediately after possession changes hands. Jankauskas has acknowledged that Lithuania must think about defensive security even while attacking, particularly after set pieces when an opponent can launch a counter. That detail matters against an Azerbaijan side whose players have been described by Gineitis as strong in physical duels and one-on-one situations. Lithuania’s opening win also showed a willingness to keep possession and continue working for openings after a goalless first half. Azerbaijan will be looking to make its first competitive appearance under Abbasov’s current Nations League campaign count, following the 1–0 friendly victory over Tajikistan. The contest should therefore be shaped less by the previous scorelines and more by which side manages transitions, physical duels and the spaces around the penalty areas.

🔎 Match Context at a Glance

• Competition: UEFA Nations League 2026/27, League D, Group 2
• Date: 27 September 2026
• Venue: Dariaus and Girėnas Stadium, Kaunas
• Lithuania’s previous result: Liechtenstein 0–2 Lithuania
• Azerbaijan’s latest result: Azerbaijan 1–0 Tajikistan, friendly
• Lithuania confirmed absence: Pijus Širvys
• Azerbaijan late availability decision: Mahir Emreli
• Official starting XIs: Not yet published at the time of this preview

For Lithuania, the immediate objective is to turn a positive opening result into another competitive performance on home soil. For Azerbaijan, the match represents the first opportunity to collect Nations League points after entering the round without a Group D2 fixture on Matchday 1. The two teams are also scheduled to meet again in Baku on October 4, giving this fixture added relevance within a short international window. Even so, the Lithuanian camp has explicitly stated that it is not looking beyond Sunday’s match. With the confirmed absence of Širvys and the late decision surrounding Emreli, the final team sheets will provide an important final piece of the pre-match picture. Until those official selections are released, the safest reading of the contest remains centered on the documented tactical and squad information rather than projected lineups.

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