OLEKS PLANS SCOTS SHOCK
Swiderski puts Wales on slippery slope
RISK-TAKING Ukraine boss Oleksandr Petrakov has vowed his freshened-up unit are out to exact revenge on Scotland.
Petrakov’s team recovered from last midweek’s heavy loss at Hampden to thrash Armenia 5-0 just hours before Steve Clarke’s side defeated Ireland.
Now it’s all on the line in Poland and the Ukraine manager said: “I reassured them, trusted them, they did everything. We are still in the game and we want revenge.
“We want to beat Scotland and we will do everything possible.
“It was very good that, after a painful defeat, the boys understood everything and did everything.
“This is purely their victory.”
Rested
While Clarke went back to many of the personnel who earned the win last Wednesday, his counterpart rested the entire team that lost in Glasgow.
His replacements hammered the Armenians and he could get a pay-out from his gamble tomorrow night.
Petrakov said: “I always take risks. This criticism was difficult for me at the beginning of my work, but now I am not afraid of it.
“I want to emphasise that I do not have main players in the national team. We just have a single team..
“There are players who play in their clubs, where the atmosphere and competition are different.
“The boys came out, they did not fail, it was difficult.
“There are footballers who do not have much game practice in their clubs, but it is a team sport.
“I don’t like to single out any individual.
“For example, any goal is not a single mistake, but a chain of mistakes.
“They lost the previous match, the entire team must be singled out.” (below)
ROBERT Lewandowski showed his class last night and helped condemn Wales to relegation in the Nations League.
Wales were given a rousing send off in Cardiff in their final game before their first World Cup since 1958.
But Poland ripped up the script to leave their hosts without a win in five games for the first time since June 2017.
It meant they finished bottom of Group A4 and drop into the second tier.
Sublime
Barcelona’s Lewandowksi did not add to his 76 international goals, but did produce a sublime pass for Karol Swiderski’s 57thminute strike.
Wales gave a start to their own talisman Gareth Bale but he was denied by the bar late on. The home side tried everything to make it a special night for their fans but too often their final ball was poor.
Before kick-off actor Michael Sheen’s inspirational speech for Wales from A League of their Own was shown on the big screen.
His countrymen needed all the help they could get without the injured Ben Davies, Joe Allen, Aaron Ramsey and Harry Wilson. Chris Mepham and Ethan Ampadu were suspended.
Poland were also preparing for the World Cup where they will face Argentina, Saudi Arabia and Mexico in Group C.
The visitors were solid rather than spectacular, their first effort on target coming in the 25th minute when Lewandowski tested Wayne Hennessey.
Soon after, Wales threatened when Dan James broke free but Juventus keeper Wojciech Szczesny saved with his legs.
The Dragons had another chance when Connor Roberts found Bale in the box from a throw-in but the striker’s angled effort was saved.
At the other end Hennessey was called into action to deny Piotr Zielinski.
Closest
But the closest Poland came to scoring in the first half was when keeper Hennessey miscontrolled Joe Rodon’s backpass and had to make a goalline clearance.
For Wales, Brennan Johnson had a shot deflected wide from the top of the box as the game opened up.
Poland took the lead after a brilliant flick by Lewandowski allowed Swiderski to fire past Hennessey.
Wales tried to hit back quickly, Johnson almost curling in a shot which Szczesny pushed past a post.
Boss Robert Page threw on giant targetman Kieffer Moore just before the hour and Bale dropped into a deeper role where he had more influence and was able to release players on the flanks.
Szczesny was called into action once more, this time to push around a post a cross from James.
But the visitors held out, although were fortunate when Bale’s header beat Szczesny but came back off the bar.
The biggest plus for Page’s side was that Bale (33) completed 90 minutes — something he has not done for his club, Los Angeles FC, or his country since Wales’ draw with Estonia a year ago.