Gibraltar drop to League D after second defeat to Lithuania

Lithuania 1-0 Gibraltar

Gibraltar drop into League D of the Nations League after a second 1-0 defeat at the hands of Lithuania. The defeat however seeing Julio Ribas test new players with an eye into future campaigns.

Gibraltar entered what was a cup final match tie for them as they faced Lithuania in the second leg of the Nations League C relegation Play Off, knowing they needed to score having gone down by a solitary goal in the first leg. Julio Ribas had been forced to make changes with Dale Coleing having received a red card in the first half, giving Bradley Banda a chance to start. An injury to Roy Chipolina also meant that Louie Annesley would be playing in his usual central defender’s role, with Evan De Haro taking on the defensive midfield role. Roy, back in Gibraltar, was in the morning looking after his youth team, a deep contrast from the atmosphere he was due to face instead.

The half-empty stadium, in what was a cold late winter’s day in Lithuania, was not quite what had been expected. This was a blow to the home side whose fans had stayed behind and less of a blow to Gibraltar who would have welcomed the fact they were not playing against a packed hostile crowd. For Lithuania, the stakes were just as high as for Gibraltar. With a goal lead from the first leg, expectations were high upon them, favored to stay in League C and therefore with the pressure on their shoulders rather than Gibraltar.

Gibraltar got off the blocks with a sprint, Tjay attacking the Lithuania line before passing to Britto who was fouled by the wing. A Walker free kick saw Lithuania lucky to see the ball strike the hand of a Gibraltar player as they tried to clear. The surprise attack unsettled Lithuania, who tried to hit back immediately but found themselves well impeded. As Lithuania settled into their game, Gibraltar’s difficult task became more apparent. To stay in contention, they required to score one more than the hosts merely to earn the right to extra time. Playing on the backfoot after their first surge forward, this looked like a difficult task in itself.

Lithuania struck the crossbar on the seventh minute as they sent out their first real warning shot. Tjay De Barr responded for Gibraltar by taking a chance to surge forward. This forced a foul on him and, in a similar way to the first leg, saw Utkus get an early yellow card. De Barr having forced several cards upon players in the home leg. Walker’s free kick was well delivered in front of goal, unfortunately directed just wide off the target. Banda was tested with a long-distance strike from Černych, blocking well. Banda’s quick recovery saw him grab onto the rebound before the Lithuania attacker. A free kick conceded by Walker on the 11th minute allowed the hosts to test Gibraltar’s defense, who cleared well. Lithuania regaining possession started to dominate possession. Banda was once again called to action, this time timing his run out to intercept a lobbed ball over the defense as Gibraltar arrived at the fifteen-minute mark. Zubas was also to be tested at the other end as Gibraltar countered.

Although the first twenty minutes saw Gibraltar sitting deep in defense, a disciplined defensive display impeded Lithuania from producing any real threat. Tjay de Barr was again in the thick of action with Lithuania’s Širvys lucky but to be booked after a high foot clearance which saw his leg wrapped over Tjay’s shoulders. It was not until the 23rd minute that Gibraltar had some moments of possession and pushing Lithuania back. A beautifully floated cross from Walker into Britto’s path as he ran into the penalty area saw the Gibraltar player unable to make contact by mere inches with a clear goalmouth in front of him.

Banda was again to make another good block after Lithuania was gifted the ball in Midfield allowing for a through ball and a quick strike at goal by Slivka. Banda alert and blocking with his legs. Gibraltar’s defense held their positions well and were forcing the host to try pot shots from distance as they arrived into the first half-hour. As Gibraltar frustrated Lithuania defensively, de Barr threatened their defender with Utkas warned by the referee after three consecutive fouls upon the player.

In one of the free kicks earned by De Barr Young, De Haro had a chance to strike to goal although his first attempt in the match was to go well wide of its target. In the 34th minute, Gibraltar were lucky not to concede with Černych not only shooting just wide across goal after leaving his marker behind but also adjudged to be fractionally offside. The runs by Lithuania down the right wing causing Gibraltar problems. Lithuania seemed to up their momentum in the final ten minutes of the first half as the crowd also raised their noise levels. De Barr, with a tremendous work rate up front and shielding well whilst taking the knocks provided some respite as he held the ball longer up front when in possession.

Černych was again to pose problems on the right wing as he turned around two defenders. His final shot going high as he struck on a wobbly ball due to the muddy turf. Banda was to make another reflex save to deny Lithuania after a shot from inside the goalmouth in the forthwith minute. Moments later Banda, exposed by his defense, was forced to come out of the penalty box to try and clear, risking getting to the ball first before the attacker with his head. Banda was again tested a minute later, a shot from distance well gathered by the Gibraltar keeper as Gibraltar’s defense started to see gaps emerge. Lithuania was again lucky not to see another defender receive a yellow card when Gineitis brought down De Barr as he looked at breaking free. This moments before the first-half whistle where the hosts left the field looking frustrated at being just one goal in the lead.

With young players such as Scanlon, Bartolo, Jessop, and Peacock on the bench alongside experienced players such as Casciaro and Joseph Chipolina, Ribas had opportunities on the bench to change the aspect of the match after having held the hosts and gained confidence from it. Gibraltar having kept open the prospect of trying to equalize the tie and try at least to force the match to extra time.

With De Barr having caused problems for Lithuania defense, Utkas, their only player on a yellow card, was replaced at halftime. This was more of a tactical move to protect their defense from risking a red card. Although Gibraltar started the second half positively, taking the game to Lithuania, a break from the hosts saw a beautifully floated ball across the penalty area. Černych, who had been threatening to score in the first half, delivered a tight-angled shot which squeezed past Banda after just five minutes of the second half. Gibraltar now faced an uphill task to get back into contention. Gibraltar searched to find a way forward, Walker with a snatch shot at goal on the 55th minute. Gibraltar now had to find momentum forward against a side content in sitting deeper in defense after widening their lead in the tie, and with a home crowd that seemed to have awakened in noise level following the goal.

Julio Ribas turned to two of their most experienced players on the bench first, Chipolina and Casciaro coming on for De Haro and Sergeant. Casciaro brought immediate energy into the midfield with his well-known pressure, stalling Lithuania’s initial surges after his arrival on the field. It was a Casciaro interception that saw De Barr make a run, which earned a throw-in. Chipolina’s long throw unsettling Lithuania as Gibraltar put some pressure on Lithuania’s defense just minutes after the two veterans walked onto the field.

As they passed the hour mark, Lithuania was now playing a short passing game from deep to slow down the pace and keep possession. In the 67th minute, Lasickas hit the side netting after Gibraltar was caught wrong-footed as they tried to press forward having regained possession. Gibraltar continued to lack forward momentum as they also protected their rearguard, leaving Tjay De Barr still a lonely figure upfront, although Cadcairo’s presence added an extra forward approach to their game.

Gibraltar continued to be troubled on their left side with Černych providing Slivka with a chance to strike. Ronan deflecting the ball to corner as they struggled to clear their lines. Ribas made further changes on the 72nd minute with Bartolo and Manchester United’s Scanlon coming on for Walker and Britto, both young attacking players. Bartolo’s immediate presence pressing on the defense provided assistance to De Barr, putting additional pressure on Lithuania’s defenders from the moment he walked onto the field. Scanlon added extra energy in chasing through the midfield, allowing Gibraltar to advance their lines further upfield momentarily.

Lithuania found their way back to putting pressure on Gibraltar, pausing their advance. The match saw a change in dynamics as Gibraltar started to open the field more. A long throw-in by Joseph Chipolina on the 89th minute earned Gibraltar a corner, the pass just whizzing over the heads of everyone. Lithuania tried a quick break but were stopped by Olivero, who had chased back to intercept a pass into the penalty area where attackers were arriving.

Gibraltar saw some moments of magic with De Barr doing a back heel pass to Scanlon, who ran to the byline trying to find Bartolo with a pass back. The combination was a sign of the times Gibraltar hopes to see in the future. Just moments later, Scanlon broke down the right and produced a side foot pass to De Barr, who was brought down to the ground without a foul given. Bartolo, just moments later, forced a foul as he turned on his markers. Unfortunately, the free kick ended in Lithuania keeper’s hands quite comfortably.

As the minutes ticked away with the ninety minutes now closing in, Gibraltar still could not find a way to goal. Scanlon provided further proof of the hype surrounding him as he went past players on the right wing with two minutes left. His final pass, however, was not controlled by Hartman as the latter tried to get between players in a run into the penalty area. Chipolina got another chance for a long throw-in inside injury time. Lithuania found it hard to clear, although packing numbers into the area, preventing Gibraltar from finding the Gibraltar looks to try and build again towards their next Nations League campaign. Gibraltar, however, now drops back into League D where they will face San Marino and Liechtenstein in Group D1.
Gibraltar’s drop into League D although likely to have an economic impact on Gibraltar football, as well as a dampening morale football observers have during this latest round of matches highlighted that it could provide the Gibraltar selectors to build the squad towards the next ten years as veteran players begin to reach the end of their careers and new youth players start emerging.