Poland has booked its first victory at the World Cup in Qatar on Saturday afternoon. Robert Lewandowski took care of the liberating 2-0 after the opening goal of Piotr Zielinksi in the final phase against a strong playing Saudi Arabia. For the Polish goalscoring machine it was his first ever goal at a World Cup. Wojciech Szczesny became man of the match for the Polish side with some excellent saves and a saved penalty kick.
Poland went on the hunt for its first World Cup goal in Qatar with an extra attacker in the team. After the draw against Mexico (0-0), Arkadiusz Milik joined the team against Saudi Arabia, which stunted the first game against Argentina (2-1 win). Feyenoord player Sebastian Szymanski therefore disappeared from the base team. Saudi Arabia had the better of the game in the first company. The team of national coach Hervé Renard played with enormous intensity and therefore almost always won the second ball.
Piotr Zielinski gives Poland the lead! The Saudi storm has subsided, allowing Poland to seize the initiative.#POLSAU pic.twitter.com/yhyTLD6Z5n
— NOS Football (@NOSfootball) November 26, 2022
Through Mohamed Kanno, Saudi Arabia handed out the first pinprick of the match after fifteen minutes. The midfielder was allowed to lash out from the edge of the sixteen-meter area and then saw Szczesny make a strong save. Poland often came too late in the duels, which resulted in yellow cards for Jakub Kiwior, Matty Cash and Milik in a short space of time. Completely against the balance, it was Poland that took the lead out of nowhere just before the break. Robert Lewandowski was brought in by Cash, after which he put the ball on a silver platter for Zielinski: 1-0.
Saudi Arabia somewhat fortunately gets a penalty after a minor foul. Salem Al-Dawsari, still the match winner against Argentina, then misses the penalty, with a heroic role for Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.#POLSAU pic.twitter.com/KVdPHq2elF
— NOS Football (@NOSfootball) November 26, 2022
Saudi Arabia, however, had the perfect opportunity to level the score before the break, when Krystian Bielik committed a minor foul on Saleh Al Shehri. The Brazilian referee Wilton Pereira Sampaio decided to put the ball on the penalty spot after the intervention of the VAR. It was Szczesny who subsequently distinguished himself in a positive sense twice. After saving Salem Al Dawsari’s penalty kick, the closing post also got his fingertips against Firas Al Buraikan’s rebound.
Al Dawsari had another opportunity after the break to level Saudi Arabia, but again Szczesny was important by saving with his leg. Poland came out of its shell more and was unlucky that it failed to close the game early. While Milik headed on the crossbar in a completely detached position, Lewandowski hit the post not much later. Barcelona’s goal machine finally brought Poland into ecstasy in the 81st minute by sliding the ball under the outgoing Mohammed Al Owais after a slip by Abdulelah Al Malki: 2-0. His first goal in a World Cup brought tears of joy to Poland’s captain.