World Cup, Poland vs Senegal, as it happened: Senegal win 2-1, go joint top with Japan
Last match in the first round of group games at Russia 2018.
Poland 1 - 2 Senegal
37’: Cionek own goal (Poland)
60’: Niang (Senegal)
86’: Krychowiak (Poland)
Group H preview: Don’t rule out Mane’s Senegal. Read here.
Japan and Senegal co-top Group H after the first round of fixtures. Who would have imagined that the South American and the European team would have trailed after matchday 1? There is one more game left for the day, as Mo’ Salah starts for Egypt against Russia, in what is a crucial match for the Pharoahs. Head this way for the live blog.
Poland scored in the opening match for the first time since 1974 but Senegal had more than enough to see them off. Aliou Cisse’s men made the most of their attempts, scoring two goals with only two shots on target.
Full-time and Senegal win 2-1.
Senegal take home the three points and the Lions of Teranga will be delighted with the victory. Cionek’s own goal and Niang’s second-half strike enough to take them through, as Krychowiak mustered a late consolation.
90’: Four minutes of added time. Senegal lead 2-1.
Poland have a corner as Senegal need to see out four minutes for Africa’s first win of this World Cup.
87’: GOAALL! Poland finally break through, as they reduce the deficit to 2-1.
Krychowiak heads the ball in from a free-kick as Poland have a lifeline. Three minutes of nerve-wracking football left for Senegal. Game on.
83’: Final change for Poland, who trail 0-2.
Bereszynski comes for Piszczek, who’s had a torried afternoon, losing the ball for the first goal. Aliou Cisse’s celebration has caught Twitter’s eye:
78’: Salif Sane with another interception at the back, as Senegal lead 2-0.
The Senegalese Sane has been a rock at the back for Aliou Cisse’s side, as Poland have got no change out of him. Rybus comes close for Poland but no cigar.
A social media user has profiled the Polish defence:
73’: Poland with a replacement as Kownacki comes on. Senegal lead 2-0.
Milik goes off, as Senegal replace goalscorer Niang. Moussa Konate comes on for the Torino man.
70’: Milik almost pulls one back for Poland. 2-0 Senegal.
The Napoli star side-foots it but the ball is not on target as Senegal have a reprieve. Poland running out of time as Adam Nawalka is not a happy man.
65’: Mane concedes a foul. Poland trail 0-2.
Robert Lewandowski has got Poland’s only shot on target tonight, as Senegal have shut shop effectively. The second goal might have been disastrously for Adam Nawalka’s side.
This is what it means for Senegal..
60’: GOALLLL! Senegal double their lead.
Shocker of a moment for Krychowiak who leaves Szczesny in no-man’s lead. Niang chips the Polish keeper easily as coach Cisse leaps in joy.
56’: Piszczek takes a shot but it is off target. Senegal lead 1-0.
The Borussia Dortmund defender ghosts in from the right but is unable to trouble N’Diaye. Three at the back gives the 33-year-old more license to come forward.
55’: Lewandowski trips Sarr. 1-0 Senegal.
20 goals in his last 15 international appearances but no joy today for the Polish Bobby. Nawalka must be getting nervous.
51’: Wonderful save from N’diaye. 1-0 Senegal
Lewandowski steps up to take the free-kick but the Senegalese keeper is up to the task.
49’: Change in formation for Poland. 1-0 Senegal.
Lewandowski charges through but is tripped by Salif Sane, who is booked. But first real statement of intent by the Polish striker. Three at the back for Poland now.
Dakar is not known only for the rally.
46’: The second half starts. 1-0 Senegal.
Lewandowski and co need to pull something out of the hat and quick. Jan Bednarek comes on.
HT: 1-0 Senegal
Senegal have had more shots and deservedly lead. This World Cup now has witnessed four own goals, joint-third on the all-time list behind 1998 (6) and 2014 (5). Poland haven’t had a clean sheet at the World Cup for 32 years.
Half-time at the Spartak stadium and Poland trail 0-1 to Senegal.
Cionek the unlucky one with the deflection, as Everton midfielder Idrissa Gana’s long-range shot took a wicked deflection. Wojciech Szczesny is an unlucky Gueye.
43’ - Poland have a free-kick. 1-0 Senegal.
Senegal’s own goal means that there will be no nil-nil matches in the first round of games. They also become the first African nation to take the lead at this World Cup.
37’ - GOAAALLL! Huge deflection as Senegal take the lead. 1-0.
Niang steals the ball from Pisczek, and passes it to Gueye, who shoots it straight at Cionek. The ball changes its path as it strikes the number four as Sczcesny as no chance.
33’ - Offside! But Senegal were close. 0-0.
Great ball in from the right but Mame Biram Diouf sprung the offside trap too early. The Africans are in the ascendancy as they seek to become the first team from the continent to post a win in Russia.
30’ - Lewandowski has struggled so far. 0-0.
Despite 41 goals for Bayern Munich last season, his two shots haven’t paid off against the Teranga Lions. He comes up tonight against Senegal keeper Khadim N’diaye, who is known for his outrageous dribbles outside the box, including one attempt to round Samuel Eto’o during the 2012 African Cup of Nations qualifiers.
25’- Mane shackled by Poland. 0-0.
Lots of noise from the Senegal supporters but their talisman has so far been marked out of the game by Poland’s centre-backs. Aliou Cisse’s team need another route.
Some thoughts on Scottish commentary and Polish names:
15’ - Senegal making their way forward now. 0-0.
The Africans poor in the final third but seem to be battling Poland for the ball in midfield. Niang is put through on goal by Youssouf Sabaly but can’t take advantage.
Senegal left-back Sabaly is already a World Cup winner...with the France Under-20’s alongside Paul Pogba and Samuel Umtiti in 2013.
11’ - Gregorz Krychowiak gets booked. 0-0.
The PSG man, on loan at West Brom this season, catches M’Baye Niang from the back and promptly goes into the book. The resulting free-kick is tame.
5’ - Poland seeing plenty of the ball early on. 0-0.
Senegal sit deep, as the Europeans dominate possession early on. Adam Nawalka will be satisfied with his team’s start to the 2018 World Cup.
1’ - We have kick-off at the Spartak Stadium.
Poland play in white and play from left to right, while Senegal are in green.
08:25 pm: Lewandowski makes his 96th appearance for Poland, and the hit-man from Bayern Munich has 55 goals in international colours. He wears the armband tonight, and follows in such illustrious footsteps, such as Kazimierz Deyna and Gregorz Lato in captaining his country at the World Cup.
08:15 pm: Poland start in a 4-2-3-1 with Jakub ‘Kuba’ Blaszczykowski playing on the right wing and making his 100th appearance for the national team. Senegal line-up in an improvised 4-3-3 formation.
What Mexico did a few days ago in shocking Germany, Senegal had done in 2002. Bruno Metsu’s team met the defending champions France head on, and beat them 1-0.
Recollect the action from the 2002 opener here:
08:05 pm: Senegal have an interesting nickname. They are known as the Lions of Teranga. In Senegal, the term ‘Teranga’ is used a lot and it is a Wolof word meaning hospitality. Lions and hospitality then, having you for dinner.
07:55 pm: Poland have faced African opposition thrice before at the World Cup, resulting in one victory and two draws. In 1978, they defeated Tunisia, before two 0-0 draws against Cameroon in 1982 and Mexico in 1986.
They spent their day off visiting the aquarium and looking at dolphins. That should have given them quite a kick.
07:45 pm: More on Aliou Cisse, he becomes the first man to captain and coach his country at the World Cup. Who can forget Senegal’s run to the 2002 quarter-finals, including their shock 1-0 wins over the holders France in the opener at Japan and South Korea? Can they replicate that result at the Spartak Stadium?
Meanwhile, some tough questions for the Polish players...
07:35 pm: The line-ups are in. Sadio Mane is the captain of the Senegal team, coached by Aliou Cisse (remember him from 2002?) Robert Lewandowski, the Bayern Munich man will lead the line and the team for Poland.
07: 30 pm: Japan have beaten Colombia 2-1, and in the process became the first Asian team to beat a South American team. Here’s how it panned out.
07:15 pm: With 16 goals in ten appearances on the road to Russia, Lewandowski was the top scorer in Europe’s 2018 World Cup qualifiers as Poland, currently ranked 8th in the world, finished top of their group.
Under head coach Adam Nawalka, they have a realistic chance of qualifying from Group H, opening their campaign against Senegal in Moscow on June 19 before facing Colombia and Japan.
07:11 pm: This is the final match of the first round of fixtures and we will have officially seen all 32 teams play.
And this is proving to be an interesting trend.
07:07 pm: We are into the final 10 minutes of what has been a thoroughly fascinating match between Japan and Colombia. Head over to the live blog of that game to see if Japan can hold on to their lead against 10-man Colombia.
07:00 pm: Hello all and welcome to The Field’s live blog of the second match in Group H between Poland and Senegal. This promised to be the most fascinating and tough-to-call group ever since the draw was announced. And given how tight the first match between Colombia and Japan is turning into, the group promises to deliver plenty of excitement.