Byrne is banned to force change at Deepdale
Jozwiak’s Poles are forced to leave the pitch as trouble erupts
DERBY County winger Kamil Jozwiak was caught up in an ugly incident on international duty with Poland on Tuesday.
Poland’s World Cup qualifying match against Albania in Tirana was bought to a halt for more than 20 minutes when home supporters threw plastic drinks bottles at players celebrating the opening goal.
PAOK striker Karol Swiderski gave the Poles the lead after 77 minutes of their Group I fixture but he and his team-mates were then pelted with objects, prompting the Polish side to leave the pitch.
Jozwiak, earning his 19th cap, starting the match and was taken off after 71 minutes.
When play resumed, Poland completed a 1-0 win to move above Albania into second spot. They are three points behind leaders England with two rounds of matches to go.
A post-match interview with Swiderski was also cut short when Poland manager Jakub Kwiatkowski encouraged his player to leave, after bottles were again thrown at him.
“After the goal there were full bottles flying in, so it was a bit dangerous, but we came back and finished the game,” said Poland captain Robert Lewandowski.
Derby midfielder Jason Knight came on as a 69th-minute substitute for Republic of Ireland in their friendly fixture against World Cup hosts Qatar.
Ireland were leading 4-0 at the time and that was how it stayed as Ireland earned a first victory at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin under boss Stephen Kenny.
It was Knight’s seventh senior cap.