Tiktukno: summary of the day's events in sports, 1.12 (Sport1)
When I realized that I would have to somehow summarize the performance of the Polish national team in the game against Argentina, the initial inclination of the heart was to leave a blank page.
Just don't write anything about these 90 humiliating minutes on the part of the team that should be led by one of the best strikers in the world - as a sign of protest.
The editor may not understand the intention correctly, so I gave up on the idea, but what Poland did to its image yesterday will not be easy to fix.
It is legitimate to try to close in on defense when a draw guarantees qualification to the round of 16, but even after falling behind at the very beginning of the second half, the players in white continued to wave the white flag as high as possible.
Even when the score became 2:0, while Mexico led 0:2 in the corresponding match, nothing in the Polish approach changed - even though the ranking was now decided only on the basis of the number of yellow cards, thus giving them a slight advantage.
So they concentrated on avoiding picking up yellows instead of trying to score, or cross the halfway line for a start.
During 90 minutes, Poland had one kick attempt on Argentina's goal, and it was also weak and off target.
It is so bad that even a Wisla Krakow youth team could have done more.
The Poles had 27 percent of possession yesterday.
It's not necessarily a disaster if the intention is to let the opponent dominate and then come out with quick bursts, but this team is really not built for something that can be defined as fast, and it seems that it is not able to think of offensive moves at all.
If anyone wants to make excuses for Argentina finding the right balance and showing determination, it is enough to look at Poland's previous two games to understand how poor their situation is.
Lewandowski Poland damaged their image with a shameful game (Photo: GettyImages, Richard Heathcote)
Watch a recap of Argentina's victory over Poland courtesy of Kaan 11 - the official broadcaster of the 2022 World Cup. Live broadcasts, recaps, statistics and more await you on the Kaan World Cup page
In the 0:0 draw against Mexico, she also gave up the ball and kicked twice into the frame - including Lewandowski's sour penalty which was quite borderline.
Against Saudi Arabia, which is indeed supposed to play on the offensive itself, Poland had 36 percent of ball possession and three kicks per frame.
Two of the balls found their way into the net, including a fine goal from Piotr Zelinski at the end of this side's only decent attack of the tournament so far.
Lewandowski's conquest, after which he burst into tears from excitement, was due to a sloppy and accidental ball loss by a Saudi defender.
If it weren't for Wytek Szczesny, who deflected a penalty and provided a string of saves, Poland deserved to lose, and be relegated in disgrace.
The Juventus goalkeeper is the only hero of this team in the World Cup, and he excelled yesterday as well.
Szczesny not only saved his second penalty in a few days, which was whistled for his duty on a wrong VAR decision.
He will frustrate Messi regardless of the white spot.
Without him, the result should have been astronomical, and a simple victory for Mexico would have been enough to overcome their expense.
The Mexicans themselves are signing a particularly disappointing tournament by their standards, and woke up too late yesterday, but the fiasco of Tata Martino, who already had time to resign, does not even come close to the intensity of the disgrace of coach Czeslaw Miknevic.
The inability to deliver even a decent ball to Lewandowski over three games is inexplicable.
It is even more difficult to understand how Saudi Arabia can be trusted not to concede a third goal from Mexico that would have sent Poland on the first plane to Warsaw - unless everyone really longed to be in Warsaw.
To continue in the bunker in order not to absorb a third goal yourself is a certificate of poverty that made the fans in the homeland tear out their hair in rage - just look at the blunt reactions on social networks.
Even Denmark, which was eliminated yesterday in a shameful display, was much better compared to Poland, which somehow advanced to the round of 16.
Szczesny will try to save it against France as well, but given the circumstances it is reasonable to expect a defeat - and it will be justified in order not to make the next coaches consider repeating the farce in light of the "achievement".
Poland's only bright spot in this World Cup.
Wojciech Szczesny (Photo: Reuters)
As for Argentina, it may be a bit difficult to judge their true ability against the Polish cones who were so busy not picking up yellows that they didn't even apply pressure in the center of the pitch, but there is no doubt that there is improvement.
Coach Lionel Scaloni learns the lessons gradually, and the changes in the lineup definitely work in her favor.
In the second cycle, Alexis McAllister was integrated - not a star at the high world level, but an active and efficient midfielder with tactical discipline and also not bad technical abilities.
Now, after the great performance and the spectacular goal as a substitute against Saudi Arabia, Enso Fernandez also finally got his place in the starting line-up, thus becoming the youngest to do so in the World Cup in Albiceleste uniform since Messi himself in 2006.
In addition, Julián Alvarez was also preferred over Lautro Martínez who didn't quite find himself in the first two games - and this also turned out to be a wise move.
There is, then, considerable symbolism in the fact that McAllister artfully sent a measured ball into the far corner to score the first goal and calm the tense nerves following the missed penalty, and then Fernandez cooked Alvares the spectacular second goal.
From now on, it is the young stars who are supposed to set the tone alongside Messi and Angel Di Maria who invested above and beyond the time he got on the grass.
It's still not the dream team, but the balance in it looks positive.
Fernandes could not have hoped for more freedom of action than the Poles gave him, and it is assumed that Australia will try to make it more difficult in the round of 16, but this is still a relatively comfortable opponent to gain self-confidence if everything goes according to plan.
Not a star at the high world level, but an active and efficient midfielder with tactical discipline and also not bad technical abilities.
McAllister (Photo: GettyImages, Clive Brunskill)
For McAllister, the first goal for the team was especially exciting because of the opponent in the next round.
His father, Carlos McAllister, made his only two official appearances for Argentina in the World Cup promotion play-off against Australia at the end of 1993. This was following the famous 5:0 defeat to the Colombia of Carlos Valdrama, Freddy Rincón and Faustino Asperia in Buenos Aires, and the pressure was great.
Diego Maradona, Gabriel Batistuta, Diego Simeone and Fernando Redondo lined up for the fight, along with the dashing red-headed left-back.
It was not easy at all, the first meeting in Sydney ended in a 1:1 draw, and at home Argentina only won 0:1 with an own goal.
She went to the World Cup with renewed hopes, while the Australians returned home with loads of respect and praise in the local media.
Their striker in the games in question was Graham Arnold, who currently coaches the team.
The shortstop Tony Vidmar, who guarded Batistuta, is currently serving as his assistant.
It would be a great closure for them, and probably even better for the McAllister family.
The father did not fulfill his dream of participating in the World Cup because he withdrew from the squad at the last minute, but his son did it, and now he too will get to play against Arnold and Vidmar.
small world.
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Argentina national team
Lionel Messi
Poland national team
Robert Lewandowski
