With both sides in poor form heading into this game, it was perhaps no surprise that the opening stages of the match were a cagey, dreary affair.
Things began to liven up a little on the quarter-hour mark, when Leo Walta’s 20-yard effort for Finland forced Tomas Svedkauskas into a decent save to tip the ball over the bar.
Shortly after, Adam Markhiev’s close-range header from inside a crowded penalty area was held comfortably by the Lithuanian goalkeeper.
It was the visitors, though, that took the lead after 25 minutes played, when a loose ball inside the Finnish penalty area was met by full-back Pijus Sirvys, who promptly rifled the ball home from 15 yards out for his fourth goal for his nation.
Finland’s best opportunity to equalise before the interval arrived in the 41st minute when Walta fired a shot on target from just inside the 18-yard box, but Svedkauskas did well to palm the ball away.
Finland head coach Jacob Friis’ HT team talk must have been an inspirational one, as the hosts successfully turned the game on its head 10 minutes after the interval. The Eagle Owls were back on level terms very early on in the second half.
Within five minutes of the restart, Benjamin Kallman slotted home from close range but, to his dismay, saw that the assistant referee’s flag was raised for offside. However, following a VAR check, the initial decision was reversed, and a goal was given to huge cheers from the home crowd.
With a victory absolutely vital for Finland’s chances of qualifying for the WC, the hosts kept applying the pressure after the equaliser.
Oliver Antman teed up Markhiev inside the penalty area in the 55th minute, and his beautiful left-footed effort found the top corner to put Finland 2-1 up and send the Finnish capital wild with his first-ever goal for his country.
The hosts almost killed the game off with 20 minutes remaining, when substitute Joel Pohjanpalo’s right-footed effort from 15 yards was steered narrowly wide of the target.
Finland’s victory puts them level on points with the Netherlands and Poland in Group G of the UEFA qualifying section. However, the Dutch have two games in hand on the Eagle Owls, while Poland now have one game in hand on Friis’ side.
Realistically, they will need a positive result away from home against the Netherlands on Sunday to keep their qualification hopes alive.
For Lithuania, their rotten run of form continues - the Baltic side are now without a win in their last 14 games, and mathematically can no longer qualify for next year’s WC.