AL RAYYAN, Qatar: Poland coach Czeslaw Michniewicz has increased his attack by adding two Robert Lewandowski forwards, while Group C opponents Saudi Arabia have implemented three upgrades for their Reality Cup match at Education City Arena on Saturday.
Michniewicz was scrutinized for a largely protective setup as Poland worked through their first goalless game against Mexico on Tuesday and decided to pair Robert Lewandowski with Arkadiusz Milik front and center this time around.
The change will be invited by Robert Lewandowski, who has clearly mentioned help to meet obligations in the new months.
Saudi Arabia mentor Herve Renard implemented three upgrades for the team that crippled Argentina 2-1 in their opening game, two of them due to injuries, and gets Abdulelah Al-Amri, Mohammed Al-Break, and Sami Al -Najee.
The Saudis will be without save Yasser Al-Shahrani, who underwent a medical procedure at home after a serious injury to his face and abdomen in the main match, and leader Salman Al-Faraj.
Wojciech Szczesny, Kamil Glik, Jakub Kiwior, Matty Money, Bartosz Bereszynski, Grzegorz Krychowiak, Piotr Zielinski, Krystian Bielik, Przemyslaw Frankowski, Arkadiusz Milik, Robert Lewandowski.
Saudi Arabia:
Mohamed Al-Owais, Abdulelah Al-Amri, Ali Al-Bulaihi, Mohammed Al-Breik, Mohamed Kanno, Saud Abdulhamid, Abdulelah Al-Malki, Saleh Al-Shehri, Salem Al-Dawsari, Firas Al-Buraikan, Sami Al-Najei .
Rude awakening for Saudi Arabia at the World Cup after a 2-0 disgrace to Poland
AL RAYYAN, Qatar – On the heels of turning their names into football legends after a fantasy prevailed over Argentina, Saudi Arabia had a ruthless rude awakening at the World Cup on Saturday (Nov 26) after losing 2-0 to Poland.
In a game in which they were careless but not clinical, the Green Hawks’ wings were clipped by goals from Piotr Zielinski and Robert Lewandowski. The Shafts currently lead Group C with four places, while the Saudis are second with three. Mexico will face Lionel Messi’s Argentina in the last game of the day. The result sets Meeting C up for a tantalizing finish, with Saudi Arabia facing Mexico in their final meeting game on Wednesday, and Poland taking on Argentina.
Buoyed by an ocean of green in the stands, the Saudis showed early anticipation against a team 25 places ahead in the world standings, with Mohammed Alburayk’s speculative shot wide. Their rivals had drawn 0-0 with Mexico in their opening game after Guillermo Ochoa saved a penalty from star striker Robert Lewandowski, and on Saturday they tried to figure out the game from the get-go. It was Clean goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny who was forced to make an acrobatic save minutes after the fact to deny Mohamed Kanno the opening goal.
The Posts were still in shock and drew three yellow cards with hardly any pause between them.
However, they almost scored their most memorable goal of the competition in the 26th minute when a Saudi guard prevented Krystian Bielik’s header from a corner. The Saudi allies continued to root for their group, thundering at each successful tackle, cheering each completed pass, and mocking each clean touch.
Be that as it may, they calmed down in the 39th minute after Zielinski crushed home from a Robert Lewandowski cut. The most obvious opportunity for the Saudis to strike a balance came just before the halfway mark after Saleh Alshehri was deemed to have been trapped in the container. The punishment seemed brutal in Poland, but Szczesny rescued them and made an exceptional double stop: first from Salem Aldawsari’s punishment and then from Alburayk’s development.
The Saudis kept pressing in the final half, but Szczesny would bother them again when the ball pinballed into the box and was eventually goaded straight at him. Force continued to work on the approval of the Saudis who accumulated minutes after the end, but Feras Albrikan finished off the top after a splendid development play. Poland was by no means out of this, and Arkadiusz Milik’s header crashed off the crossbar. Before long, it was Robert Lewandowski’s chance to be denied by sheer chills as his shot bounced off the post.
Then, at that moment, came the hangman’s blow in the 82nd minute as Robert Lewandowski clung to a cautious slip to keep a cool demeanor and get past Mohammed Al-Owais for his first World Cup goal. This time, not at all like the last, no Herve Renard group talk would be enough to protect Saudi Arabia.