Brazilian tribune speaks out: Lithuanians receive respect from world champions by surprise
It was almost mid-October 1996 and such an offer sounded like a thunderstorm from the clear sky.
At that time, the country’s football went through just one stage throughout the period of Independence.
The Lithuanians had started the selection for the 1998 World Championships with two victories out of three, in which the national team missed only one point to the second place in the group.
Players such as MSV Duisburg goalkeeper Gintaras Stauče, Vyacheslav Sukristov of Bnei Yehuda in Israel, Armin Narbekob, who played for Admira Wacker in Austria, and Brondby IF for Brondby IF in Denmark . Edgaras Jankauskas and Andrius Tereškinas, who sweated in the ranks, or Valdas Ivanauskas, who shone in Hamburg.
During the “selection” window of the October qualifying match, the Vilnius Žalgiris e Lithuania team surpassed Iceland and Liechtenstein and, after winning the 6th point in three matches, could calmly wait for spring.
After the national team fights, the strongest football players were divided into their clubs, and the teams of the national championship were preparing for the fights of the regular XII round.
unexpected players from three clubs but an invitation to an urgent trip to Brazil – confrontation with the 1994 world champions.
“The answer to how and why Lithuania got a chance to meet the Brazilians should be sought when returning to the 1996 Atlantic Olympics, because at that time Lithuania was not the same weight competitor for the Brazilians,” the website said. Naglis Miknevičius, a former defender of the Lithuanian national team, remembers “Who is the coach of BLOG”.
“A duel between the Brazilian and Nigerian teams was planned for the fall of 1996, but the Nigerians, who won gold at the Olympics, suddenly refused to go to South America. why? There are versions, one of them – maybe you want to be undefeated. It turned out that the Brazilians were left without rivals, all those stronger teams already had a pair of control matches and the Lithuanians somehow jumped out to the agent from Germany.
When we found out, the most important thing was really to fly to Brazil and before this national team.
And they lined up a really good team against us, even though the Brazilians could have assembled five or ten teams of such forces. I don’t know all the subtleties, but everything was paid for by the Brazilians. We also flew more accurately, ”the defender of the Lithuanian national team continues.
“It simply came to our notice then when I found out about Brazil. Imagine what the Lithuanian national team would look like now, without playing Lithuanians and without players from the championship leader.
Then from the leading club (Šiauliai Karedos), which was based on Lithuanians, did not have a single game in the national team, because at that time the club ‘s management was angry with the federal government.
The situation is such that the national team was included from another team that took the third and fourth place in the Lithuanian championship (Kaunas Inkaro and FBK and Vilnius Žalgiris).
It was an experimental team with Valdemar Martinkėnas, who played in Finland, ”the defender of the team, N. Miknevičius, recalled.
Covered Ronaldo
However, in a hurry from the suburbs of Lithuanian clubs, the national team did not feel ashamed against the world champions.
The Brazilian national team won 3: 1 (2: 1), but according to football historian Gediminas Kalinauskas, our football players did not look like “chickens”.
“Occasionally, they could compete with the Brazilians in both ball control and open play. The match was emotional, the game took place on a wide front. Only this time, our defenders erred in simple situations.
14 min. Ronaldo from the Spanish Barcelona club was successfully heard at the goal of V. Martinkėnas after an accurate pass. After 7 minutes, FBK Kaunas player O. Buitkus equalized well with a fantastic shot from a distance of 30 m. Ronaldo met his second goal just before leaving the rest when he was again accurately addressed by defender Djalminja.
70 min. The defender of the Lithuanian national team N. Miknevičius wanted to return the aid, but struck too weakly – Ronaldo took advantage of it during the match, ”G. Kalinauskas football yearbook“ Lithuanian Football Raid ”.
N. Miknevičius remembers the confrontation with the then 20-year-old Barcelona striker.
“It simply came to our notice then. I have never seen such players before and after. He is a technical player, but there were more technical ones, at that time Leonardo from Paris Saint Germain also played.
Whatever Ronaldo’s strength and power, all in one! Practically hard to stop and we didn’t stop it basically, scoring three goals.
I remember Benjaminas Zelkevičius said before the match: “Just enjoy and take the opportunity, because the whole generation of Lithuanian footballers, and there were better ones for you, may be an opportunity to meet the Brazilians.”
We enjoyed it as much as we did. Again, Brazilians may be out of character: they play themselves, but they allow others to play as well.
I can compare it to the duel against the really capable Romanians at the time, we played that third in the fall of 1996. I can count on the fingers of one hand how many times we crossed in the middle of the square, because the Romanians strangled us as much as they could, ”N. Miknevičius recalls in the webcast“ Who is the coach of BLOG’amma ”.
“The Brazilians played differently, and there were technical players in our ranks, the same Darius Maciulevičius, in my opinion, was the best football player in those matches, and Igor Kirilov also played. In general, in this match, D. Maciulevičius demonstrated his full potential and not only him.
We missed the pitch and that fantastic goal of Oresto Buitkaus! He even reassured us.
Also, we didn’t play on the pitch in a way to beat our opponents, the Brazilians appreciated that too. I won’t say exactly, but we really didn’t pick yellow cards, we stood out quite friendly with our opponents.
Sure, after the match, all of us want to exchange shirts, but the Brazilians didn’t, saying the t-shirts promised to relatives had apparently been in contact for years to come.
But Mario Zagallo brought two T-shirts to the locker of the Brazilian strategist, one to the guard Martinkėnas and the other to D. Maciulevičius, ”N. Miknevičius recalls.
The current football commentator and one of the coaches of Kybartai “Sveikatos” smiles when he remembers the question about the value of the players of the national team at that time.
“It simply came to our notice then. We didn’t know our prices at the time (smiles). But that honorable performance became a bridge for further friendly matches in South America – later we played with both Argentina and Chile, ”N. Miknevičius shared his memories.
T-shirt with brother
The defender D. Maciulevičius, who has stood out in Terezin and is rated by Brazilians, is one of the few who has returned home with a Brazilian T-shirt.
“It simply came to our notice then that I had left my brother. I got the number 7 by marking the blue Brazilian national team shirt.
Before the match, I remember B. Zelkevičius’ words – go, play, try and show what you can do. When you wait for a duel against such an opponent and think like it will be here now, nothing will really work out. We calmed down – as it will be, yes. We did not cherish their hopes, but we had something to show for ourselves.
When we leveled the stadium, even the stadium fell silent. As far as I can remember, we later missed two goals after childish mistakes.
The mood after the match was not bad, because everyone around them thought they would beat us as much as they would like, but nothing like that.
If there was any sadness, it was an instant whistle after the match, but we were satisfied with the duel, the game. We have received praise from the representatives of the Brazilian national team, they say, we did not think that you could play like this, ”said the 38th duel with the national team in one of the most talented safe players of that generation, who spent most of his career in Lithuania.
Dream come true
Strategist Benjamin Zelkevičius, who has achieved many impressive victories on the international front during his career, calls the duel in South America an occasion for life.
“It’s the most memorable event of my career. I remember in the locker room I told men the chance is one that doesn’t pop into everyone’s career. The Brazilians had this feature – the players themselves and allowed others to play. After the match, we were not sad, to be honest, the result is normal, after all, we did not lose 0: 5 or 0: 7 “, – the legendary Lithuanian strategist remembers that extraordinary trip to Brazil.
He remembers the details of that trip perfectly: the team flew to Brazil not on the eve of the match, but for a couple of days, stayed alone with the Brazilian national team and managed to feel the friendly of Terezina for the residents.
“The hotel was empty, it was just us and the Brazilian delegation. The atmosphere was great, the Brazilians were friendly, they were completely proud, they were happy to communicate.
Said fans have saved money by being able to buy tickets to those matches. And they took place in a rather poor region. What football has meant to them is proving 30,000. spectators gathered to watch the training alone, ”said B. Zelkevičius.
“I remember on the way to Teresina, the plane landed in several cities in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, where several players of the Brazilian national team boarded the plane, and we continued our distance to Teresina.
A plane lands at the airport, surrounded by a crowd of thousands of people waiting for their goddesses and wanting to see them live. Both the police and the army seem to have entered a military coup, ”the strategist smiles.
“My Brazilians have been everything since childhood. I remember listening to the radio on the radio for the 1958 World Cup in Sweden and waiting for the Brazilian results. Pele, who made his debut in the planetary championship at the time, was already played by midfielder Garrincha.
Then playing with the team against such players is my greatest happiness and remembrance for the rest of my life, ”he shared his strategy with unadulterated impressions.
“About 50 thousand people watched the stadium match. fans. When Oresta leveled, many around believe that Brazilians do not win when playing at home.
We later made childish mistakes and missed two goals. The stadium fell silent with the marvelous Ronaldo goal. In any case, this trip is often the most memorable event in the career of the players of that national team, ”B. Zelkevičius asserted.
MATCH STATISTICS
October 16, 1996, Terezina, Albertao Stadium
Brazil 3 – 1 Lithuania
Brazil: Zetti, Ze Maria, M. Goncalvesas, A. Cruzas, Ze Roberto (A. Luizas), M. Silva, F. Conceicao, Leonardo, Djalminha, Edmundo (Donizete), Ronaldo.
Lithuania: Valdemaras Martinkėnas (Algimantas Briaunys), Andrejus Sorokinas, Darius Gvildys (Giedrius Žutautas), Naglis Miknevičius, Orestas Buitkus, Raimondas Vainoras, Raimondas Žutautas, Darius Maciulevičius (Aidas Pukelevičius), Igoris Kirilovas (Tomas Ražilovas) Aidas Preikšaitis.
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