Poland defeat Saudi Arabia 2-0 in pulsating World Cup clash

Robert Lewandowski scores first World Cup goal to add gloss to Poland’s victory.

A gritty Poland saw off Saudi Arabia with a 2-0 win in a game fraught with drama.

Piotr Zielinski opened the scoring for Poland in the first half with a smart finish against the run of play. Salem Aldawsari had the chance to bring Saudi Arabia back on level terms towards the end of the half but his penalty was superbly saved by Wojciech Szczęsny. The Polish keeper, who was arguably Poland’s best player in the game, superbly saved the follow-up, too.

A late Robert Lewandowski goal in the 82nd minute, his first in a World Cup, added gloss to a hard-fought Poland win.

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Riding on the confidence of their win over Argentina and cheered on by a sellout Education City Stadium crowd, predominantly in green, Saudi Arabia dominated the game for large periods of the game. But, a resolute Poland back line and an inspired goalkeeping performance kept them at bay.

The inflection point of the game was Szczęsny’s penalty save. Saudi Arabia deserved a goal for their efforts in a first half where they Poland on the ropes. But, the Juventus man’s double-save knocked some of the air out of them.

Their attacking threat didn’t diminish as the game progressed and it took another sensational save from Szczęsny with his legs to deny Aldawsari in the 55th minute. You got the sense that Saudi Arabia’s moment had passed. Poland fed off the tension festering in the stands and the frustration in the Saudi Arabia players and began to wrest back their control of the game.

While Saudi Arabia’s performance today featured many elements from their win over Argentina – the high line, the energy in midfield, the pace on the wings – they were vulnerable in transition. Lewandowski ghosted behind the center backs on a couple of occasions in the first half and Poland also hit the woodwork a couple of times in the second half.

While Hervé Renard’s men came alive in the second half against Argentina, their intensity tapered off after the hour mark here. In the 81st minute, Lewandowski pounced on a mistake by Abdulellah Almaki and found himself in a simple one-on-one situation that he comfortably finished. The Barcelona forward had tears in his eyes as he celebrated scoring his first World Cup goal.

While Poland have all but secured their spot in the Round of 16, Saudi Arabia’s fate hangs in the balance.