Image via @LaczyNasPilka on Twitter
Poland and Croatia played out an increasingly dramatic game of football in the Nations League to a 3-3 scoreline. Goals from Piotr Zieliński, Nicola Zalewski and Sebastian Szymański all added to the spectacle as the home side battled back yet again from self-inflicted problems.
It really was a match that had it all; goals from distance, calamitous defending and a sending off. The fun started in earnest barely five minutes in, when a strong challenge on the halfway line from Jan Bednarek sprung into action an attack, where after some neat work from Kacper Urbański, Zieliński was found in the box and his lightly deflected shot across the goalkeeper nestled into the net.
Then against the run of play came an absolute thunderbolt from Borna Sosa, a stunning volley which we will have to begrudgingly admit was incredibly satisfying to watch. It was then that Poland completely fell apart, bereft of the confidence that had marked their generally good play in the opening quarter of an hour.
Croatia’s second raised questions yet again over Paweł Dawidowicz, caught out of position. These questions were then immediately answered as he played Croatia in for their third, an awful blind pass which was surely the nail in the coffin for him starting any more Poland matches in the near future.
As it was, Dawidowicz was injured towards the end of the first half, and on in his place was Kamil Piątkowski. As Dawidowicz’s errors have increased of late and Piątkowski has been in good form, there had been an increasing clamour to see the Salzburg player receive minutes for the national team.
Shortly after this introduction, good work from Jakub Kamiński and Zieliński meant Zalewski was the man over, and with a little perseverance he got into a position where he also fired a shot low across the goalkeeper and scoring.
Straightaway, Kamiński had a glorious opportunity one-on-one with Croatian keeper Dominik Livakovic, but it was squandered as the ball was fired directly at the man in goal.
Poland were starting to feel the pressure in the second half before the triple substitution of Robert Lewandowski, Michael Ameyaw and Maxi Oyedele. This undoubtedly helped swing the flow of the game, as shortly thereafter a launched ball from Piątkowski was held up well by Lewandowski, and neatly laid off for Szymański to lash into the goal from the edge of the area.
With the drama continuing, a loose ball was chased down by Livakovic and Lewandowski, with the former getting the ball first but crucially following through with his foot and violently catching Poland’s captain on the upper leg. The sort of challenge that really makes you wince, Livakovic may not have meant harm but had Lewandowski’s foot been planted, there is little doubt it would’ve resulted in a broken leg. Receiving a straight red card, we looked to be set up for a pulse-pounding last 15 minutes.
Testament it is to how well Poland rallied that the draw felt mildly disappointing, something of a missed opportunity perhaps. There was a period of less than ten minutes in the first half which resulted in three goals conceded, but it was otherwise an unbelievably even-handed affair throughout. You sadly have to come to the conclusion that on another night and without Dawidowicz Poland might’ve won.
I don’t want to rag on Dawidowicz too much but this really now absolutely has to cement his place as no longer in Poland’s starting line-up. Both Piątkowski and the absent Sebastian Walukiewicz are younger and less rash, calmer on the ball and in the case of Piątkowski at least a damn sight more athletic.
As for the other negatives, there has been yet again some harping on about Bednarek but he played a good game and the second Croatian goal he is more or less in the right position. It seems fate always wishes to make a fool of Bednarek no matter how many times he does the right thing.
Likewise, Marcin Bułka was not at fault for any of the goals conceded, and although he doesn’t look great on either the second or third there is little that could be done once the attackers were shooting in those positions. He had a very good second half in which he prevented Croatia from killing the game off, and for that reason I look forward to seeing him and Łukasz Skorupski fighting it out to be full-time first choice as they are clearly both top goalkeepers.
Karol Świderski was perhaps one of the other bigger outfield negatives. It’s just not been happening for him in Poland colours as of late, especially when he has been asked to start games. Obviously I do not wish for him to be hurled down the pecking order like Dawidowicz, but maybe it’s time that we give Krzysztof Piątek a fair go of things again if he is still in good form when November’s break rolls around.
As for the defensive midfield, Jakub Moder did not assuage any fears that he isn’t ready to start again. Whilst not terrible he faded noticeably in the second half and there were a lot of “small errors” which could’ve cost Poland on another night. Sebastian Szymański also made quite a few “small errors”, but the difference is he scored a great goal.
Looping back around to that defensive midfield conversation, Oyedele looked more comfortable than he had against Portugal when he was introduced and I’d be keen on keeping him in the thoughts of the national team, but he still has a lot of developing to do when it comes to playing at the top level. I’d like to see Jakub Kałuziński for the senior side again sometime soon, and I wouldn’t be totally opposed to Taras Romanczuk again either. This is not forgetting Bartosz Slisz who has been good in the MLS and okay for Poland, and the enigma that Karol Linetty remains: great for his club, invisible for his country.
On another note, Michael Ameyaw is good fun to watch in the national team and I am hopeful he might keep his place in the squad. I’ve often thought him to be one of the Ekstraklasa’s most underrated wingers, and he is very much a traditional winger in that he wants to get to the byline and cross the ball.
Bartosz Kapustka also made his first Poland appearance since 2016, and was perfectly capable when he was introduced, even if he replaced a departing injured Zieliński who had he stayed on might’ve helped Poland to a win.
Aside from the clown show that engulfed Poland’s defence for eight minutes in the first half, there was a lot to like watching the national team this evening. It’s a shame that barring some borderline miraculous results Poland will likely not progress to the next stage of Nations League competition, but will instead be fighting to keep their place in the highest division.
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