Lithuania look good in four-sided challenge

Lithuania warmed up for next year's UEFA European Futsal Championship qualifiers with victory in the FA Futsal Four Nations Tournament in Loughborough but there were promising performances for hosts England and newcomers the Republic of Ireland.

Lithuania top
Unlike England and the Republic of Ireland, Lithuania are ranked high enough to avoid February's preliminary round and go straight into main qualifying the following month, and led the standings after Matchday 1 with a 2-1 defeat of Libya. England and Ireland drew 3-3 after two goals from the hosts' Rob Ursell proved in vain due to a late Alan Lynch equaliser.

Decisive results
A day later Lithuania beat England 2-0 with goals from Nerijus Mačiulis and Virmantas Lemezis while Ireland lost 4-0 to Libya, who were to overcome England 3-2 in the final fixture. Lithuania's 3-1 victory against Ireland confirmed first place and left England in third on goal difference.

Ireland boost
England and Ireland will be rematched again in February in preliminary round Group A. Ireland manager Derek O'Neill, whose team will stage the mini-tournament in their competitive futsal debut at senior level, is happy with his side's development, having only played their first adult internationals in November when they lost 4-1 and 6-1 in Hungary, hosts of the 2010 European finals. O'Neill said: "This tournament has been a fantastic experience for the players and they will know what is expected of them in what will be a tough qualifying campaign."

Road to Hungary
The four preliminary round group winners and two best runners-up will go into the qualifying round. Should England or Ireland be one of the top second-placed sides they could go into Group 4, where Lithuania will welcome 2007 runners-up Italy and Belarus to Kaunas from 19-22 March as they compete for places in the January 2010 finals in Hungary.