Northern Ireland’s Under-17s were defeated 4-2 by Lithuania in a Euro qualifier staged in Germany.
Competition
U17 Euro 2027 Qualifiers Round 1
Scoreline
Lithuania U17s 4-2 Northern Ireland U17s
Scorers
Lithuania: Korvel (24’), Sluta (32’), Melaikis (63’, 65’)
Northern Ireland: Mulholland (1’, 19’)
Venue
DFB Campus, Frankfurt am Main
Date
11 November 2026
Team News
Northern Ireland’s Under-17s are facing Germany, Lithuania and Azerbaijan in a U17 Euro 2027 Qualifiers round one mini tournament in Germany this month.
National Youth Team Coach Kris Lindsay has chosen a 22-strong panel to make the trip to Germany. The bulk of the players have come through the Irish FA JD Academy (residential and non-residential).
All of Northern Ireland’s group matches are being staged at the German FA (DFB) campus in Frankfurt am Main. Their first game was against the Lithuanians.
The Round 1 Group 2 mini tournament in Germany is one of 14 mini tournaments across Europe that will determine 14 group winners and 14 runners-up that will qualify for Round 2 League A next spring. The remaining 26 teams will participate in Round 2 League B. R2 League A mini tournaments will decide the seven teams that join hosts Latvia in the final tournament next summer.
How it happened
Striker Michael Mulholland, who was in red hot form at the FIFA U15 World Cup last month, showed his eye for goal once again when he scored in the opening minute. Alfie Mulvenna provided the assist.
Lithuania attempted to hit back quickly. Gvidas Valatkevicius got a shot away but Northern Ireland keeper Matthew Belshaw made the save.
Belshaw then stopped an effort from defensive midfielder Simas Siaudvytis before Northern Ireland’s Cillian Murray swept a shot wide.
Lithuania had a couple of opportunities and Liam Kelly forced a save out of Lithuania keeper Augustas Ruginis prior to Northern Ireland going two up in the 19th minute. Mulholland grabbed his second of the game with an instinctive finish.
Unfortunately Mullholland picked up a knock and was replaced minutes later by Noah Vaugh.
Belshaw pushed away a Valatkevicius strike, although he could not stop forward Lukas Korvel tucking away the rebound.
That was in the 24th minute and eight minutes later midfielder Kristupas Liutvinas teed up fellow midfielder Justas Sluta to slot in the equaliser.
Before half-time Vaugh missed a chance and Lithuania’s Siaudvytis hit the woodwork.
Half-time: Lithuania U17s 2-2 Northern Ireland U17s
The first clearcut chance of the second half fell to Kelly. He let fly but Ruginis kept it out.
Lithuania captain Nojus Vysniauskas had a shot blocked as both sides pressed.
In the 63rd minute substitute Rokas Melaikis, who had only been on the pitch for two minutes, pounced to make it 3-2 to the Lithuanians. And just two minutes later the midfielder scored again to make it 4-2.
On 70 minutes Ruginis pushed away an effort from Connor Wilson as Northern Ireland looked to bounce back – and five minutes later Wilson hit the woodwork.
Then it was forward Finn Reilly’s turn to have a go. His effort was off target.
Northern Ireland kept plugging away and Vaugh forced another save out of Ruginis.
Next up for Northern Ireland U17s is an encounter with Azerbaijan on Saturday 14 November (3.30pm GMT). Hosts Germany defeated Azerbaijan by seven goals to nil today.
Full-time: Lithuania U17s 4-2 Northern Ireland U17s
Line-ups
Lithuania: Augustas Ruginis, Dziugas Varkulevicius, Matas Mironcikas, Kipras Kazlauskas, Nojus Vysniauskas (captain), Simas Siaudvytis, Tomas Veikutis, Kristupas Liutvinas, Gvidas Valatkevicius, Justas Sluta, Lukas Korvel.
Substitutes: (used) Rokas Melaikis, Eligijus Merliunas, Ugnius Klimavicius; (unused) Orestas Sotkevicius (GK), Jokubas Zalnierukynas, Rojus Kardelis, Rokas Paulauskas, Natan Molis, Patrikas Babenskas.
Northern Ireland: Matthew Belshaw, Alfie Pollock, JB Camlin, Alfie Mulvenna, Daniel McCarron (captain), Connor Wilson, Liam Kelly, Adam Nelson, Michael Mulholland, Cillian Murray, Finn Reilly.
Substitutes: (used) Noah Vaugh, Padai O’Kane, Jay Forsythe, Alfie Jones; (unused) Ciaran McCloskey (GK), Oisin O’Brien, Jamie McCreery, Cohen Ennis, Calum Evans.
