England resumes their qualifying campaign for the 2016 European Championships in France this Friday. March 27 when they host Lithuania at Wembley Stadium in London. England sits on top of Group E with four wins in four games while Lithuania is fourth in the six-team group with six points from two wins and two losses. However, they’re tied with Slovenia and Switzerland for second in the group on points, but sit fourth due to goal difference. They’re followed by Slovenia with four points and San Marino, who have just one. England has scored 11 goals and allowed one in their four games while Lithuania has scored three and conceded six.
England vs Lithuania – bet365 lists the odds of an England win at 1/10 with Lithuania 10/1 and a draw at 9/1
This will be the first time the two sides have met at the senior national level although they’ve faced each other in UEFA competitions seven times in different age groups. England has five wins and a pair of draws in those games with the latest being a 5-0 home victory and a 1-0 road win in qualifying games for the 2015 European Under-21 Championships. England head into this game as one of just four teams with a 100 per cent record in Euro 2016 qualifying with the others being Israel, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
In fact, when it comes to qualifying for major tournaments, England is one of the hottest teams on the planet with an unbeaten streak of 23 contests in European Championship and World Cup qualifying. This consists of 16 wins and seven draws. Their last qualifying defeat came back in 2009 when Ukraine beat them 1-0 in 2009. The last time England lost a home qualifier was in2007 when Croatia beat them 3-2. Lithuania has managed just two wins in their last 10 competitive road games and these were against Liechtenstein and San Marino.
Lithuanian and English teams have met eight times in UEFA club tournaments with English sides winning every game and outscoring their opponents 24 to three. England manager Roy Hodgson will have to do without both striker Daniel Sturridge and midfielder Adam Lallana though as the two Liverpool players pulled out of the squad a few days before the game. The 25-year-old Sturridge suffered a hip injury after scoring against Manchester United in Liverpool’s 2-1 home loss on March 22. Lallana was also injured in the same game and will be out for England with a groin problem.
This opens the door for 21-year-old Tottenham Hotspur scoring ace Harry Kane as he’s been called into the team for the first time. Kane scored a hat trick against Leicester City on March 22 and now leads all Premier League players with 29 goals in all competitions this season. Kane or Danny Welbeck of Arsenal will likely play up front with skipper Wayne Rooney of Manchester United. Twenty-three-year-old midfielder Ryan Mason of Tottenham was called up to replace the injured Lallana. Mason last represented England in 2011 when he suited up for the Under-20 team.
