In a game widely regarded as a must-win for Scotland it took a late, late goal just to salvage a draw.
It was a pretty poor performance from Scotland, which James McArthur’s 89th minute equaliser couldn’t disguise.
For far too long far too few chances were created and Lithuania’s Fiodor Cernych was given space no home player was able to find on the Hampden pitch to score his second half opener.
The draw means that Scotland now travel to Slovakia on Tuesday probably needing a victory rather than a draw to be par for the course after three fixtures in Group F.
There was no fast start from Scotland and it wasn’t until the 13th minute that the Lithuanian keeper was troubled. A Matt Ritchie free-kick was met by Callum Paterson, whose glancing header just missed the target.
Three minutes later Oliver Burke’s direct running drew a foul and Robert Snodgrass tried his luck from 25 yards. But the hat-trick hero of Malta was well wide with his effort.
Arvydas Novikovas didn’t look much of a player during a loan with St Johnstone a few years ago but he had a five minute spell midway through the first half when he was tormenting the Scotland defence down the Lithuanian left wing.
Thankfully for the home team his delivery didn’t match his ability to beat a man.
Chris Martin would have been considered lucky by many to be leading the line for Scotland in this match with Leigh Griffiths available, but he did very well to make the best of an average back post cross by Snodgrass to hook it across goal and a fraction past the post.
The game was 34 minutes old before the first shot on target from a Scottish boot but Barry Bannan’s long range strike was straight at Emestas Setkus.
There was a bit of momentum building at last and Burke drove at Edvinas Girdvainis, trying to tease a rash challenge out of the defender. It didn’t come and when the £13 million man went down in the box the German referee wasn’t entertaining his penalty claim.
Bannan actually made a rasher challenge in the other box just before the break and if he got a piece of the ball before taking down Cernych it was the tiniest of bits.
Scotland made a half-time change, with skipper Darren Fletcher replaced by McArthur.
The best chance of the match so far fell to the visitors two minutes after the re-start and David Marshall had to produce an excellent low save to deny Novikovas.
The scare sparked Scotland into life and Andy Robertson was released on the over-lap for virtually the first time in the match. The former Dundee United full-back picked out Snodgrass but he couldn’t pick out the back of the net.
Robertson was fast becoming a real dangerman and another pinpoint cross was met by the head of Martin, who had the keeper beaten but just missed the bottom corner.
The second Scotland substitution came just before the hour, with James Forrest coming on for Burke.
By the time the Celtic man had touched the ball Scotland were a goal down.
Robertson was pressing high up the pitch and when Grant Hanley lost Cernych on the edge of the box he had the freedom of Hampden to beat Marshall at his near post.
There should have been an equaliser two minutes later but Forrest dragged his shot wide after a Robertson cross was palmed out to his feet.
It wasn’t until the 71st minute that Griffiths was introduced and Ritchie was the player to make way for him.
It should have been 2-0 on 73 minutes and all it took was the most basic of moves to catch out the flat-footed Scotland defence. Goalscorer Cernych ran beyond them but wasn’t as clinical as he had been previously and his shot went wide.
Griffiths got the chance Scotland had been waiting for on 79 minutes but his free header from a Snodgrass cross was directed straight at the keeper.
With the Scots huffing and puffing to no avail they eventually got their equaliser in the 89th minute when Paterson’s long throw was flicked on by Hanley and McArthur finished it off.
There was an injury time penalty shout when Griffiths was body-checked but it wasn’t given.
And then Lithuania had to clear a ball off the line to secure their point.
