Lithuania Falls to Iceland in World Cup Qualifying Thriller

Reykjavik, Iceland – The Lithuanian national basketball team suffered a heartbreaking 85-86 defeat to Iceland on Friday night, jeopardizing their chances of qualifying for the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Qatar. Despite leading for the majority of the game and holding a 21-point advantage in the fourth quarter, a late surge by Iceland, capped off by a buzzer-beating shot from Elvar Fridriksson, sealed the victory for the home team.

Dramatic Finish in Reykjavik

The atmosphere in Laugardalshöll arena was electric, fueled by a large contingent of Lithuanian fans. Lithuania appeared to be in control for much of the contest, but Iceland mounted a remarkable comeback. Fridriksson, a former player for Šiauliai and Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius, scored 19 of his 34 points in the final quarter, ultimately hitting the game-winning shot as the siren sounded. (Delfi)

Kurtinaitis Reflects on the Loss

Lithuanian head coach Rimas Kurtinaitis acknowledged the painful defeat but refrained from excessive criticism. “We controlled the game, played solidly, but… I don’t desire to say we relaxed, but we were up 21 points with 5 minutes left. The game seemed won. Sometimes these games happen. One team plays well, but the other plays even better,” Kurtinaitis stated after the match. (Delfi)

He added, “I have no complaints about the players’ energy, no accusations towards them. Iceland was better by one point, and they played until the last second. Congratulations to the opponents on their victory.”

Challenges with Player Availability

The Lithuanian team faced challenges with player availability leading up to the game. Arnas Velička, a key player, was unable to participate due to a recent injury sustained in a KMT bronze medal game. (Delfi) Kurtinaitis also expressed hope to have Žalgiris players Oak Tubelis available for the second match, but acknowledged the complexities of negotiating their release due to Žalgiris’s playoff schedule. Sylvain Francisco of Žalgiris is expected to play in both matches against France.

Looking Ahead

The rematch between Lithuania and Iceland is scheduled for March 2nd in Klaipėda. Kurtinaitis emphasized the need for the team to regroup quickly and prepare for the crucial upcoming match. (Delfi)

“Now we need to recover the players in two days. I think it’s a psychological moment now as we have to recover in two days. We have to stand up and head to fight, because we can’t think of anything else,” Kurtinaitis said.