The biggest sporting event in the world continues with the Group C Poland v Saudi Arabia clash that showcases the team responsible for the World Cup biggest upset so far, can they back it up?
With so many games and so little time, our Group C Poland v Saudi Arabia Match Centre tries to sum it all up as quickly as possible before and after the game and with just a hint of cynicism. If you wanted professional and/or good you’d be on the BBC website, not here. Essentially, 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 Poland v Saudi Arabia Match Centre.
KICKOFF – SATURDAY 26TH NOV – 16:00 (QATAR) 13:00 (UK) 00:00 (AEDT)
Group C Poland v Saudi Arabia Match Review
Poland have made Group C very interesting with a win over Saudi Arabia where Robert Lewandowski scored his first World Cup goal.
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.
2’ Min Nothing like a bit of rough-housing to start off a game as a Polish defender slams into his Saudi counterpart making zero attempt to do anything other than that. The referee gives him a quick but stern talking to.
3’ Min Saudi Arabia are on the attack against Poland straight away. And they look sharp too. They’ll be desperate to show they are no one-off too. With the added bonus of continuing their excellent results within a day of their rival Qatar being knocked out after six days.
7’ Min Good passage of play from the Saudi defender Mohammed Al-Breik, who makes a great run towards the penalty box, then fires off a shot that earns a corner for the team. Nothing comes from the corner, but the Saudi number 6 is marked to watch from here.
9’ Min First chance for Poland, and their cross into penalty area was dangerous enough, but it didn’t go close enough to Robert Lewandowski.
12’ Min Play is looking like a WWII move in the last passages of play as players are hitting the deck all over the place. Interestingly not long before a Polish player kicked the back of a Saudi players leg, they both hit the ground and Poland got the free kick.
13’ Min Thunderbolt from Saudi Arabia’s Mohamed Kanno forces a good save from the Polish keeper Wojciech Szczęsny.
16’ Min Now the yellow cards are coming out, two in quick succession for the Polish defenders. A third Polish player sees yellow two minutes later. Matty Cash gets another Saudi players a few minutes after that, and is probably lucky to stay on the field.
25’ Min. Poland go close from a corner through Krystian Bielik, but his on target header is cleared away by forward Saleh Al-Shehri. In the meantime, an assistant coach of Saudi Arabia gets a yellow card. This referee really is trigger happy.
35’ Min Play is stopped for Saudi player Ali Al-Bulaihi for a few minutes, and while it is usually right to presume it’s something tiny or even fake, this time it was genuine. Robert Lewandowski appears to accidentally step on his arm. Ouch.
37’ Min GOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLL TO POLAND
Despite being arguably the lesser of the two sides, Poland take the lead. Matty Cash is involved and he gives the ball to Robert Lewandowski who one would presume will be the goal scorer, but he passed it off to Piotr Zieliński who does the business and scores for Poland.
POLAND 1 SAUDI ARABIA 0
43’ Min PENALTY TO SAUDI ARABIA
Saleh Al-Shehri goes down in the penalty box, but it looks a little soft. The referee checks VAR anyway and judges Poland’s Krystian Bielik makes enough contact and a penalty is awarded.
PENALTY SAVED
Wojciech Szczęsny. Goes right with the penalty kick and saves the first attempt, then a follow up attempt blasted at him as well. Poland keep their 1-0 lead against the odds.
45 Min +6 Why wouldn’t we finished off this half with another player on the ground pretending to be injured for a free kick.
HALF TIME – POLAND 1 SAUDI ARABIA 0
55’ Min The second half so far has been all about the referee’s whistle. And players falling over and magic water spray. It’s annoying tedious.
56’ Min Somehow Saudi Arabia don’t equalise. The first chance sees a mad scramble in the penalty area with the ball eventually cleared out. Then Saudi Arabia come close again a few minutes later.
62’ Min Poland have a big chance to score themselves with a diving header that is saved.
68’ Min Saudi Arabia keep on the attack and force another good save from the Polish keeper.
70’ Min Poland try again and get the game result – no more goals yet.
77’ Min Really good chance for Saudi Arabia for Abdulellah Al-Malki who gets a shot on the edge of the penalty area that goes just across the face of the goal, with the Polish keeper unlikely to get there if just the other side of the post.
82’ Min GOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL FOR POLAND
Saudi Arabia regret their missed chances as Robert Lewandowski seals the game with his first World Cup goal. It was made pretty easy for him as he swooped when the ball bobbled loose after a simple pass between two Saudi defenders. Faced with the keeper to beat the goal scoring machine finished the job and then celebrated his first World Cup goal.
POLAND 2 SAUDI ARABIA 0
90’ Min Seven minutes of added time are given, so plenty of time for Saudi Arabia to score, but the game has become more of arm wrestle with Poland protecting their 2-0 lead.
90’ Min +6 Mohamed Kanno goes very close to a goal, shooting from the edge of the box, but it goes wide and a few minutes later full time whistle is blown and Poland have a win that really opens up Group C, with Argentina v Mexico to come.
Final Score
POLAND 2
Piotr Zieliński 37′ Robert Lewandowski 82′
SAUDI ARABIA 0
HT Poland 1-0
Player of the Match
Robert Lewandowski
Group C Poland v Saudi Arabia Match Stats
Group C Poland v Saudi Arabia Starting Teams
POLAND (4-4-2)
1 Szczesny
2 Cash
15 Glik
14 Kiwior
18 Bereszynski
20 Zielinski
6 Bielik
10 Krychowiak
24 Frankowski
7 Milik
9 Lewandowski
SAUDI ARABIA (4-1-4-1)
21 Al Owais
12 Abdulhamid
4 Al Amri
5 Al Bulayhi
6 Al Burayk
8 Al Wahbi Al Malki
9 Al Brikan
16 Al Naji
23 Kanno
10 Al Dawsari
11 Al Shehri
Group C Poland v Saudi Arabia Match Preview
Why should you care?
Because Saudi Arabia’s win over Argentina means that every game is crucial in this group now. Not that they weren’t before, but they are more so now.
Poland blew a chance to win their first game when Robert Lewandowski missed a penalty, and if they don’t take all three points here then they are probably done, as they have to play a scorned Argentina in their last match.
Saudi Arabia could seal progress into the knockout stages with a win, and a fat middle finger up for all of those who trash the AFC teams heading into World Cups.
But let’s not get too carried away yet. Perhaps Poland will be better at staying onside meaning Saudis could be more than one goal behind and Lewandowski will actually get a World Cup goal.
See, lots going on here. Who’d think Saudi Arabia v Poland would be this interesting before the tournament started. Not us.
Who should you care about?
Well, we will admit to knowing close to bugger all about the Saudi players before their huge upset over Argentina. But we know a few now. It would be disrespectful to say that the Saudi team is the inspiration to Paul Simon’s wonderful You Can Call Me Al song with all the players with Al in the name, so we won’t.
But we do feel the main player to keep an eye on was one of the goal scorers from thier first game Salem Al-Dawsari. Not just for the goals but his energy at the front.
As for Poland it is easy to harp on about Robert Lewandowski so we will. They need goals and according to his club career, he is the man to get them. A double here will put a smile back in the Polish side.
Full 2022 World Cup Squads & Stats
Is there a barely interesting fact?
Poland have a bad recent record for their second group stage games. They have lost the game in their last three World Cups, and by the combined margin of 8-0.
Saudi Arabia have played European opposition ten times at World Cups and have a record of W1 L9. The combined score for those ten games is 3-31.
Who will win?
Poland 1 Saudi Arabia 1
Full 2022 World Cup Predictions
