The biggest sporting event in the world continues with the Group C Mexico v Poland clash that looks to be the straight shoot out for second place in Group C behind Argentina. In theory.
With so many games and so little time, our Group Group C Mexico v Poland Match Centre tries to sum it all up as quickly as possible before and after the game. We watch and follow the game so you don’t have to.
With answers to the key questions prior to the match and our Minutes that Mattered summary and stats post game, it is a real Who Cares guide to the 2022 World Cup for the person on the go.
Enjoy the Group C Mexico v Poland Match Centre.
KICKOFF – TUESDAY 22nd NOV – 19:00 (QATAR) 16:00 (UK) 03:00 (AEDT)
Group C Mexico v Poland Match Review
The other Group C match did all it could to not take away from the World Cup’s biggest result by ending in a 0-0 draw. It wasn’t particularly boring or exciting, with a few half chances going either way. It wasn’t without drama as Poland missed a penalty.
Minutes that Mattered
Welcome to the briefest of match summaries, like a minute by minute you find on professional websites except one that has only the minutes that matter. All wheat, no chaff.
And if the below isn’t enough, for those in Australia you can catch up via the SBS World Cup on Demand.
5’ Min Mexico have their first big chance of the match when Hirving Lozano fires in a beautiful cross but it was met with not such a beautiful trap and attempt to shoot.
7’ Min First chance for Poland and Robert Lewandowski is heavily involved. First break which was well covered by Mexico, then three corners where Poland were unable to break through. A clash of heads sees a player down from each side. This will no doubt add 10 minutes to the end of the first half.
17’ Min Decent Mexico chance ruled out for offside. Aside from that, the game is reasonably even.
22’ Min Robert Lewandowski falls over clumsily in the Mexico penalty area and looks for a penalty, it is waived away rightly so.
26’ Min Alexis Vega goes close with a header, but it goes just wide of the keeper and the right-hand post.
28’ Min Somehow Mexico don’t score again. Jesús Gallardo charges onto a ball and has half a chance to chip in past the keeper on the short side but misses to the left.
30’ Min Free kick to Poland, which doubles as yellow card for Jorge Sanchez. Mexico don’t pay any more than that as Poland fail to score.
39’ Min The man Hirving Lozano on the attack again, and again Poland cover it well. Corner for Mexico is the reward, a goal from it isn’t.
45’ Min Jorge Sanchez fires a shot at the near post and Polish keeper Wojciech Szczęsny needs to act quick to save a mildly embarrassing first goal of the match.
A few half chances, but nothing too exciting as the games breaks for half time carrying a 0-0 scoreline.
HALF TIME – Mexico 0 Poland 0
52’ Min Corner for Mexico and a half chance offered but not taken. Polish keeper Wojciech Szczęsny doing the job again.
54’ Min Robert Lewandowski forces his way into the Mexican penalty area, and he goes down, with a hint of Mexican help. Appeals for a penalty are waived away. A minute down the road the games stops for VAR checks on the Lewandowski call, and the referee runs over to the TV screens a minute later to check. VAR and referee say yes….
PENALTY TO POLAND
Penalty is saved!!!!!
Lewandowski went right, and so did the Mexican keeper Guillermo Ochoa. And Poland fails to follow up in a mad scramble post penalty kick.
60’ Min Now Mexico fall over in the box and appeals for a penalty to Mexico is waved away. I guess we’ll wait three minutes before we find out if that is right or not. In the meantime, a Mexican assistant manager gets a yellow card.
64′ Min Another fine Wojciech Szczęsny save as Edson Álvarez feeds Henry Martín with a lovely through ball and Martin’s header is heading for goal before Szczęsny steps in.
77′ Min A Klinsmann Trophy nomination for Poland’s Przemysław Frankowski after he ran into a Mexican defender then falls to the ground clutching his head. He’s probably looking for a square up after being booked a few minutes before.
85′ Min Substitutions and half chances dominate the final quarter of the game. A draw is a decent result for both sides, now that Group C has opened up following Argentina’s defeat to Saudi Arabia.
Final Score
MEXICO 0
POLAND 0
HT 0-0
Player of the Match
Hirving Lozano or Wojciech Szczęsny or Guillermo Ochoa
Points of Interest
- Very few, but it wasn’t as bad a 0-0 as the score suggests.
Group C Mexico v Poland Match Stats
Group C Mexico v Poland Starting Teams
MEXICO (4-3-3)
13 Ochoa
19 Sánchez
3 Montes
15 Moreno
23 Gallardo
16 Herrera
4 Álvarez
24 Chávez
22 Lozano
20 Martín
10 Vega
POLAND (4-1-4-1)
1 Szczesny
2 Cash
15 Glik
14 Kiwior
18 Bereszynski
10 Krychowiak
13 Kaminski
20 Zielinski
19 Szymanski
21 Zalewski
9 Lewandowski
Group C Mexico v Poland Match Preview
Why should you care?
As per the intro, this is a game between the two sides battling it out for second place, if Argentina are going to be the run away leaders of this group.
Not to spoil our player to watch, but Robert Lewandowski is another reason to care.
Who should you care about?
Hard to look past Robert Lewandowski as the player to watch. Has scored 40 goals or more at club level for the previous seven seasons, and is doing a decent job at his new club in Barcelona with 18 goals in 19 matches. Has also scored 76 goals in 134 games for Poland. They will need his goals, but he has yet to score a goal at a World Cup as he missed out in 2018 in Poland’s only visit while Lewandowski has been in the Polish side.
For Mexico we like to watch Hirving Lozano, who has been a long term member of the Mexican side and part of an unbeaten Napoli side who are taking Serie A by storm and doing so well in the Champions League as well.
Full 2022 World Cup Squads & Stats
Is there a barely interesting fact?
Poland have won all four games v CONCACAF nations at World Cup, and by a healthy combined margin of 15-3.
The H2H is interesting with a win a piece and three 1-1 draws. Interestingly, Mexico have scored exactly one goal in all five games v Poland. Poland have won the only World Cup clash between the sides.
Who will win?
Mexico 1 Poland 1
Full 2022 World Cup Predictions
