Friendlies· Season 2026
Finland U17 came from behind to draw 1-1 with Lithuania U17 in the Baltic Cup, with Milton Käld converting a late penalty after Simas Šiaudvytis had opened the scoring.
Match Videos
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow It Unfolded
Lithuania, coached by Dominykas Galkevičius, took the game to the hosts in the first half. Finland dominated possession but found Lithuania's defence organised and resilient. The breakthrough came in the 43rd minute when, after a sustained attack, Simas Šiaudvytis turned the ball in from close range to give Lithuania a 1-0 lead at the break.
Finland pushed harder after the interval, controlling large spells of possession. Lithuania goalkeeper Augustas Ruginis — who had already saved a first-half penalty to keep his side level — remained a formidable obstacle. But with 11 minutes remaining, the referee pointed to the spot for a second time in the match, and Milton Käld stepped up to convert the penalty, levelling the score at 1-1. Neither side could find a winner in the closing stages.
The Turning Point
Ruginis' first-half penalty save was the defining moment of the opening period — it kept Lithuania in front and gave them a platform to defend. But the second penalty, awarded in the 79th minute, proved decisive. Finland had been probing for an equaliser, and Käld's cool finish from the spot finally broke Lithuania's resistance. The hosts had five yellow cards (Vilho Grönblom, Paavo Ekholm, Solo Shinyella among them) reflecting their growing frustration before the equaliser.
Key Performers
- Simas Šiaudvytis (Lithuania U17) — The forward took his close-range chance expertly in the 43rd minute, providing Lithuania with a lead they held for over 35 minutes.
- Augustas Ruginis (Lithuania U17) — The goalkeeper was Lithuania's standout performer, saving a first-half penalty and making several key stops before eventually being beaten from the spot.
- Milton Käld (Finland U17) — Recently returned from injury for the Baltic Cup, the VPS midfielder stepped up to score the equalising penalty, a vital moment for Ossi Virta's side.
Player of the match: Augustas Ruginis (Lithuania U17)
By the Numbers — Interpreted
Finland, as the more possession-oriented side according to match reports, created more chances but found Lithuania's deep defensive block difficult to break down. Lithuania registered only a handful of shots but made them count — their xG story is one of efficiency rather than volume. The two penalties awarded tell the story of a match where Finland were the aggressors in the final third but lacked incision until the spot-kick.
What It Means
The 1-1 draw left Finland on two points from two matches in the U17 Baltic Cup (0-0 vs Estonia, 1-1 vs Lithuania), while Lithuania had one point from two games after a 1-5 opening defeat to Latvia. Both sides had their final group match on 2 July: Finland beat Latvia 5-1, while Lithuania defeated Estonia 4-1 to close the tournament on a high. The Baltic Cup served as preparation for November's U17 European Championship qualifiers, Finland's primary objective for the year.
Verdict
A contest of two halves and two penalties. Lithuania's disciplined first-half display and Ruginis' heroics almost earned a famous win, but Finland's persistent pressure eventually forced the equaliser. A fair result that reflected the balance of play over 90 minutes.
Sources: LFF (Lietuvos futbolo federacija), LRT.lt, Palloliitto.fi, The Roon Ba, Sofascore
Rivalry since 2023
Finland U17 vs Lithuania U17 Head to Head Results· 2
Finland U17 and Lithuania U17 have met 2 times — Finland U17 won 2, Lithuania U17 won 0, with 0 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2023. Finland U17 leads the head-to-head with 2 victories from 2 meetings. A combined 8 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 4.00 per match (6 for the home side, 2 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 2 matches (100%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 2 games (100%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. The highest-scoring encounter finished 3–1 in 2025.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 9 Jul 2026