Coach David Notoane said he would take a point in the opening game, but said he hoped for a huge improvement from his players in the second game on Sunday against Tajikistan.
“I will take a point though I am disappointed because we dominated possession and missed a glut of chances. But such things happen in any opening game,” he said.
Amajita started the brightest, pinning Lithuania in their own half, and it came as no surprise when Tshepo Liphoko gave the South Africans a deserved lead in the 9th minute with a good finish following a cross from Tlotlo Leepile.
The goal looked like the tonic Amajita needed as they camped in the Lithuanians half, but Maphosa Modiba and Pule Maraisane hit the crossbar and the later pushed his effort wide as they pushed for the elusive second goal.
As Lithuania struggled to fashion their own attacks, Amajita missed a host of other chances. They were made to pay for these missed chances as, from Lithuania’s very first attack in the 31st minute, they scored through Krusnauskas Rokas, whose effort hit the upright before the ball rolled into the net.
Amajita upped the tempo after this setback, but the hardworking Maraisane hit the side-netting in the 44th minute as the two teams went to halftime deadlocked.
Thamsanqa Masiya then wasted a golden opportunity midway through the second half by blasting the ball over the bar from hardly two meters as the match remained deadlocked.
In the 80th minute, Tlotlo tried with a long range shot but his pile-driver was well saved by the Lithuanian keeper as the two teams remained deadlocked at 1-1.
The South Africans take on Tajikistan tomorrow at 15h00 before rounding off their group stage matches with a match on Tuesday against Kazakhstan.
South Africa U20 starting line-up: Dumisani Msibi, Motjeka Madisha, Denwin Farmer, Kabelo Seriba, Maphosa Modiba, Bongane Mathabela, Tlotlo Leepile, Pule Maraisane, Keamogetswe Boikanyo, Tshepo Liphoko, Thamsamqa Masiya.