Lithuania down Group winners Serbia

Two penalties gave Lithuania a 2-1 win over Group Seven winners Serbia in their 2010 World Cup qualifier on Wednesday.

Lithuania, who have not qualified for next year’s finals, gave their fans something to cheer about in sub-zero temperatures against a below-par Serbian team.

The Serbians sealed their berth with a 5-0 rout of Romania on Saturday and looked as if they were going through the motions on a rain-soaked pitch.

Midfielder Mindaugas Kalonas fired Lithuania ahead with a 20th-minute penalty after Neven Subotic brought down Ignas Dedura and the home side missed numerous chances as they dominated the first half.

Halftime substitute Zoran Tosic equalised against the run of play on the hour when he raced through several defenders and steered the ball home after rounding the goalkeeper.

Aleksandar Lukovic’s clumsy challenge on Kalonas shortly afterwards gave the Lithuanians a second spot kick which Marius Stankevicius blasted into the roof of the net.

Lithuania twice scrambled the ball off their line in the closing stages, while Stankevicius came close at the other end with a long-range effort.