Slovenia v Lithuania background

Slovenia can extinguish Lithuania's theoretical chance of reaching UEFA EURO 2016, and maintain their own push for the finals, with three Group E points in Ljubljana on 9 October.

• Slovenia, in third position, have a superior head-to-head record in the event they finish level on points with second-placed Switzerland; they have an identical head-to-head record in their games against fourth-ranked Estonia.

• Fifth-ranked Lithuania can still finish above both third-placed Slovenia – should they win this game in Ljubljana – and Estonia, in fourth, and reach the play-offs.

Previous meetings
• Two first-half Milivoje Novakovič goals secured a 2-0 win for Slovenia in the sides' Group E meeting in Vilnius last October. It was Slovenia's first victory in three encounters with Lithiania.

• Lithuania had prevailed in both of the nations' opening meetings – a pair of EURO '96 qualifiers – by the same 2-1 scoreline.

Form guide
• Slovenia have won five of their last six competitive home games without conceding – the only result marring that run a 3-2 defeat by Group E leaders England in June.

• Lithuania have lost their last three competitive away matches without scoring since launching their Group E campaign with a 2-0 triumph in San Marino.

Disciplinary
• Kevin Kampl serves a one-match ban against Lithuania.

• Giedrius Arlauskis serves a one-match ban against Switzerland; Deividas Česnauskis, Deivydas Matulevičius, Arvydas Novikovas and Marius Žaliūkas are all within a booking of a suspension.

Trivia and links
• Slovenia midfielder Kevin Kampl turns 25 the day of Lithuania's visit.

• This fixture takes place the day after Lithuania defender Vytautas Andriuškevičius's 25th birthday.

• Slovenia have never lost to Lithuanian opponents in UEFA age-group competitions; Lithuania's record in seven such encounters is W0 D1 L6.

• In UEFA club competition, Lithuanian teams' record in six meetings with Slovenian counterparts reads W1 D2 L3, with both those draws coming in the most recent tussle – a 1999/2000 UEFA Cup qualifying round tie between Olimpija Ljubljana and Kareda, which Olimpija edged on away goals after 1-1 and 2-2 ties.