Poland will lock horns with Saudi Arabia on Saturday, November 26 as they chase their first three points in the competition. The match will come off at the Education City Stadium at 13:00GMT
Poland head into the match with sheer disappointment from the previous game where they failed to snatch maximum points from Mexico. Lewandowski had an opportunity to score from a penalty which he missed thanks to the heroics of veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa.
Poland will now have to seek a win at all cost to be on the right path to face Argentina in the third round of games. They will have to do that against a more resilient Saudi Arabia team.
Saudi Arabia have shown that they could be everybody else’s nightmare after stunning Argentina in their first match of the tournament. The Arabians remained aggressive throughout the 90 minutes and refused to give up even when Messi scored early in the game. Saudi Arabia came from behind, scored twice and owned the second half with sheer aggressiveness to win all three points against the most in form nation Argentina who were currently on a 36-game unbeaten streak.
FORM GUIDE (LAST FIVE MATCHES)
Poland will be seeking for a third win in four games after beating Wales and Chile and drawing with Mexico. Saudi Arabia on the other hand have lost a game in five with two wins which include the astonishing 2-1 victory over Argentina.
POLAND’S FORM
22 November 2022 Mexico 0-0 Poland 2022 World Cup Group C
16 November 2022 Poland 1–0 Chile Friendly
25 September 2022 Wales 0–1 Poland UEFA Nations League
22 September 2022 Poland 0–2 Netherlands UEFA Nations League
14 June 2022 Poland 0–1 Belgium UEFA Nations League
SAUDI ARABIA’S FORM
22 November 2022 Argentina 1-2 Saudi Arabia 2022 Would Cup Group C
16 November 2022 Saudi Arabia 0–1 Croatia Friendly
10 November 2022 Panama 1–1 Saudi Arabia Friendly
6 November 2022 Saudi Arabia 1–0 Iceland Friendly
30 October 2022 Saudi Arabia 0–0 Honduras Friendly
HEAD TO HEAD
Poland have won all encounters between the two sides.
13 Apr 1994 Poland 1-0 Saudi Arabia International Friendly
07 Dec 1994 Saudi Arabia 0-2 Poland International Friendly
10 Dec 1994 Saudi Arabia 1-2 Poland Internional Friendly
28 Mar 2006 Saudi Arabia 1-2 Poland International Friendly
TEAM NEWS
POLAND
The zeal for Poland to get a win at all cost may tempt manager Czeslaw Michniewicz to add more firepower upfront. Juventus forward Arkadiusz Milik could team up with Lewandowski in attack.
PREDICTED LINE UP
(3-4-1-2): Szczesny; Kiwior, Glik, Bednarek; Cash, Szymanski, Krychowiak, Zalewski; Zielinski; Lewandowski, Milik
SAUDI ARABIA
After clashing with his own goalie late in Tuesday’s spectacular victory, Saudi Arabia’s full-back Yasser Al-Shahrani was purportedly flown home from the World Cup after receiving successful jaw surgery. Aside from that, the rest of the team that won against Argentina are likely start. Al Burayk may feature in Al Shahrani’s absence.
PREDICTED LINE UP
(4-3-3): Al-Owais; Al-Burayk, Al-Bulaihi, Al Tambakti, Abdulhamid; Al Malki, Kanno, Al-Abed; Al Dawsari, Al-Shehiri, Al Buraikan Mohammed