Monday 14 June 2021
Poland received their first red card
Slovakia disenchanted goal king Lewandowski
Europe’s top scorer is Robert Lewandowski. Against Slovakia, he has his first appearance with Poland at the European Football Championship. And can’t shine. Instead, Slovakia fought for the underdog victory with a lot of passion.
One world footballer is not enough: Robert Lewandowski and the Polish national team started the European Championship with a bitter defeat against Slovakia, in the 1: 2 (0: 1) in St. Petersburg the Bayern star seemed lonely in the striker for long stretches . “It wasn’t enough. We missed the last pass several times,” he grumbled and added: “We have to take responsibility on our shoulders. We have two games to go, of course, but we have the first with the theoretically weakest opponent lost. Therefore we are in a difficult position. “
An own goal by goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny (18th), decisively initiated by ex-Nuremberg-based Robert Mak, and the goal by Milan Skriniar (69th) sealed the bankruptcy. Karol Linetty (46th) had equalized in the meantime, the Poles had to play outnumbered after the yellow-red card against Grzegorz Krychowiak (62nd).
“We slept through the first half,” said goal scorer Linetty on Polish television: “This evening is very bitter, we mustn’t collapse now. It will be difficult, but anything is possible.”
Inspired by the shape of their exceptional striker, the Poles actually started the European Championship with some ambitions, the entry into the knockout round is the minimum goal. But that will now be a challenge, the other opponents in Group E are Spain and Sweden. Not only Lewandowski is now required.
Before the opening game, national coach Paulo Sousa had emphasized the importance of the 32-year-old for Polish football. “The country,” said the Portuguese, “trusts him.” After all, the striker knows “how to make the difference. And he will make it too.”
There was not even an attempt to hear the burden spread across several shoulders. And the initial phase developed accordingly. Arkadiusz Milik (Olympique Marseille / Knie) and Krzysztof Piatek (Hertha BSC / ankle) are missing from Poland at the EM, so the Bayern star is all the more challenged.
Cologne’s Duda plays strong
And the teammates looked for him with every attack, he also came to two deals early (4th / 5th), but was blocked in each case. The center forward took the balls in his own half and applauded even when he made bad passes. Poland was superior at the beginning, but already seemed limited – they almost exclusively tried it through the middle, so the Slovaks had little trouble delivering Lewandowski. And were more adept at the game.
Seasoned Marek Hamsik and Ondrej Duda from 1. FC Köln formed the game-creating duo. Called up as strikers, both were to be found almost everywhere, Duda (14th) also ensured the first dangerous conclusion. Mak then benefited from a complete failure of the Polish defense. On the left side he prevailed against two opponents, pulled from an acute angle on goal – and the ball bounced off the post and Szczesny’s back. It was the first own goal by a goalkeeper in European Championship history.
It was now even harder for the Poles to build up pressure. Lewandowski was completely in the air until a harmless conclusion shortly before the break (43rd). Almost immediately after the restart, the team played their first single-minded attack and was rewarded immediately: Linetty scored from close range.
Only now did Poland turn up and permanently push the opponent back – Lewandowski, however, continued to play a minor role. A free kick by the striker got stuck in the wall (58th). The game seemed to turn now, but Krychowiak’s dismissal caused another break for the Poles. Defender Skriniar, Italian champion with Inter Milan, hit hard after a corner to take the lead again.
.