Cesnauskis given second chance

Edgaras Cesnauskis has been recalled to the Lithuania squad for their UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifiers against France, at home on 24 March, and the visit to Ukraine four days later.

Suspension lifted 
Following a four-match suspension and a spell in the international wilderness, the 23-year-old FC Saturn Moskovskaya Oblast midfielder has been named in a 29-man squad by coach Algimantas Liubinskas for the back-to-back qualifiers. "We hope this young player has changed his attitude about football and life in general," said Liubinskas. "Edgaras can prove that the team needs him. The interests of the national team should be more important than someone's personal ambitions."

Injury blows 
The return of Cesnauskis is offset by the absence of Heart of Midlothian FC pair Deividas Cesnauskis and Nerijus Barasa through injury, while their team-mate at the Scottish Premier League club, Saulius Mikoliunas, is included in the squad but is doubtful. Lithuania go into the fixtures fifth in Group B, five points adrift of joint leaders Scotland and France but with a game in hand.

Lithuania squad
Goalkeepers: Žydrunas Karčemarskas (FC Dinamo Moskva), Mindaugas Malinauskas (FBK Kaunas), Saulius Klevinskas (FK Suduva), Paulius Gribauskas (FC Otelul Galati).

Defenders: Andrius Skerla (FK Vetra), Tomas Zvirgzdauskas (Halmstads BK), Rolandas Dziaukstas (FC Saturn Moskovkaya Oblast), Marius Stankevicius (Brescia Calcio), Irmantas Zelmikas (SC Tavriya Simferopol), Marius Žaliukas (Heart of Midlothian FC), Gediminas Paulauskas (FK Ekranas), Arunas Klimavicius (FC Dinamo Moskva), Vidas Alunderis (Zaglebie Lubin).

Midfielders: Saulius Mikoliunas (Heart of Midlothian FC), Edgaras Cesnauskis (FC Saturn Moskovskaya Oblast), Deividas Cesnauskis (Heart of Midlothian FC), Tomas Tamošauskas (FHK Liepajas Metalurgs), Mindaugas Kalonas (FHK Liepajas Metalurgs), Darius Miceika (FHK Liepajas Metalurgs), Mantas Savenas (FK Ekranas), Andrius Gedgaudas (FC Inter Baku), Igoris Morinas (FK Žalgiris Vilnius).

Strikers: Edgaras Jankauskas (Heart of Midlothian FC), Andrius Velicka (Heart of Midlothian FC), Tomas Danilevicius (Bologna FC), Tomas Radzinevicius (SK Kladno), Robertas Poškus (FC Zenit St. Petersburg), Ricardas Beniušis (FBK Kaunas), Vitalijus Kavaliauskas (FK Ekranas).