2-2: Poland avoids 'in extremis' defeat to Iceland

Poland, rival of Spain in the Eurocup, On Saturday, June 19 at La Cartuja in Seville, he showed his offensive deficiencies on Tuesday and, with an off Robert Lewandowski, he saved an agonizing goal from Karol Swiderski in 88 'against Iceland in Poznan (2-2). Second consecutive friendly in which the Poles do not go beyond the draw after the previous 1-1 against Russia.

The Polish team, led by the Portuguese Paulo Sousa, former RCD Espanyol player, among others, he came out with a 4-4-2, with Robert Lewandowski Y Jakub swierzok in the lead, while the Icelanders, who had just beaten the Faroe Islands 1-0 in extremis, initially raised a 4-1-4-1, with Bödvarsson as the most advanced player.

The game started very evenly, with strong pressure on top of the Icelanders against a Poland that he moved the ball slowly, but that each time he was stepping more frequently in the area of ​​the team of Arnar vidarsson, whose orderly defense barely left space for the locals, who counted on the sensitive absence of their gunner Arkadiusz Milik, that the Eurocup due to an injury to the meniscus in his left knee. His loss joins that of the also forward Krzysztof Piatek, which, next to Lewandowski, He centered the goalscoring hopes of the Sousa team in the face of the great continental tournament of teams.

The first Icelandic goal, with suspense

The first approach with danger of Iceland, before a Poland diminished at the offensive level and very slow in transitions, he arrived in the 19th minute with a shot from Bjarnasson to the side of the net and in 24 ', Gudmundsson, attacker from the Dutch AZ Alkmaar, beat Szczęsny with a spur shot, although the beautiful goal was canceled at first for offside, at the request of one of the Hungarian referee's assistants Balazs Berke, which he finally rectified and the goal ended up going up to the scoreboard.

Lewandowski He was hardly seen in attack since he had to move away from the area to look for the balls that did not reach him. However, the play from 1-0 in the 34th minute originated in an unmarked foul against the Polish ‘killer’ that ended with a lucky target from Zielinski. The player of the Naples shot Rúnarsson after taking advantage of two rebounds from a Nordic defense that, until that moment, had remained impenetrable.

Despair by Robert Lewandowski

Own Zielinski, shortly after, he tried a new shot, but this time he sent the ball sky high. The first half concluded with Poland already dominating clearly in the game and with Lewandowski despairing of the lack of precision in the passing of some of his teammates.

As soon as the fight resumes, Iceland, who had changed his goalkeeper for some physical problem, just like he did Poland with the scorer Zielinski, went ahead again on the scoreboard. Brynjar Ingi Bjarnasson He ‘caught’ a ball inside the area that he did not manage to clear Krychowiak, former Sevilla player, and fired an unappealable shot that went like a shell into the Polish goal.

The selection of Paulo Sousa did not carburate in attack and with the hour of play approaching, Jozwiak replaced Swierczok. The Nordic team played with the lines very close together, which made things very difficult for a local team lacking in clarity and ideas.

In the 62nd minute, Iceland he got a good scare with the blow suffered by his second goalkeeper, Kristinsson, after a play at the exit of a corner in which a finger of the left hand was injured. After being treated for a few moments, he was able to continue on the field of play apparently recovered, as demonstrated by clearing a header from Placheta after assistance as far away as it requires Lewandowski, which was replaced 10 minutes to go.

The last arreón of the Poles served to tie the meeting again. Swiderski, just entered the field, picked up a pass from Kozlowski, he controlled perfectly with his chest and the turn overcame Kristinsson in the 88th minute, after the ball passed between the center-back's legs Hermannsson.

Poland ended up being saved by the bell, although he made it clear that he will have to improve a lot, especially in attack, if he wants to play a worthy role in the Eurocup, where it will not be Iceland, who failed to qualify, but who stood up at all times.