Preview: Republic of Ireland vs. Lithuania - prediction, team news, lineups

Republic of Ireland continue their preparations for their Nations League B campaign in June with a friendly against Lithuania at the Aviva Stadium.

Stephen Kenny's side are unbeaten in their last seven matches and will be eager to continue building momentum ahead of the summer.

Match preview

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Ireland earned a 2-2 draw in a friendly against Belgium on Saturday night as Alan Browne came off the bench to score an 85th-minute equaliser.

Earlier in the game, Chiedozie Ogbene had scored his third international goal in just his sixth outing with a brilliant overhead kick.

The Boys in Green have suffered only one defeat in their last 11 matches, which was a narrow 2-1 loss to Portugal as Cristiano Ronaldo scored a 96th-minute winner.

It is a remarkable turnaround for boss Stephen Kenny who failed to win any of his first eight matches in charge but has now signed a new contract to stay in the dugout until 2024.

Ireland, who finished a distant third to Serbia and Portugal in their World Cup qualifying group last year, have never lost to Lithuania in their four previous meetings.

Lithuania won 2-1 away in San Marino in a friendly on Friday, becoming only the third side to concede to the minnows in the last two years.

It was just a second victory for manager Valdas Ivanauskas, who was appointed last August and has suffered five defeats in eight games so far.

Ivanauskas, 55, started upfront the last time that Lithuania and Ireland met in 1997. The Boys in Green were 2-1 winners courtesy of a brace from Tony Cascarino. The Baltic nation are ranked 137th in the world and finished bottom of their World Cup qualifying group last year with one win and seven defeats from eight matches. They begin their Nations League C campaign in June.

Team News

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Liverpool's Caoimhin Kelleher should again get his chance in goal for Ireland with Gavin Bazunu out with illness; uncapped pair James Talbot and Max O'Leary are the other goalkeepers in the squad.

Jimmy Dunne, Mark Sykes and Connor Ronan will all see this friendly as a chance to earn their first cap for the national team.

Stephen Kenny could rotate up front, with Troy Parrott and Scott Hogan pushing to start after Callum Robinson led the line on Saturday.

Augustinas Klimavicius scored on his Lithuania debut against San Marino on Friday so is likely to keep his spot as the team's central striker.

Valdas Ivanauskas may recall experienced players such as Arvydas Novikovas and Vykintas Slivka, who started on the bench on Friday.

Republic of Ireland possible starting lineup:

Kelleher; Dunne, O'Shea, Collins; Doherty, Browne, Sykes, Manning; Ogbene, Parrott, Keane

Lithuania possible starting lineup:

Bartkus; Vaitkunas, Satkus, L. Klimavicius, Baravykas; Megelaitis; Kazlauskas, Slivka, Cernych, Novikovas; A. Klimavicius

We say: Republic of Ireland 2-0 Lithuania

Even if Ireland heavily rotate, they should still be strong favourites to get a win here. Kenny's team are improving every game and it would be a surprise not to see them victorious against a poor Lithuania side.