Moreno’s miss may be costly for Spain
ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI bullied
Spain out of two points in Seville leaving Luis Enrique’s team still winless at the Euros.
It was all smiles for Spain in the first half when Alvaro Morata scored his 20th international goal and celebrated with the coach who had defended him after he was whistled off by home supporters in Spain’s first game.
The goal had been set up by Gerard Moreno who Luis Enrique had picked t o start alongside Morata and it was no surprise when the scorer ran straight to his coach to embrace him.
But in the second half Lewandowski’s experience showed when he out- thought and out- jumped Aymeric Laporte to head home.
Moreno and Morata needed to deliver again but the former missed a penalty and the latter scuffed the rebound wide. Morata missed serveral late chances.
He nearly also made the worstpossible start with a clumsy challenge after three minutes in his own area on Piotr Zielinkski that referee Daniele Orsato could easily have given a penalty for.
Poland started with Brighton’s Jakub Moder, Derby’s Kamil Jozwiak and Leeds’ Mateusz Klich in midfield and it was Klich who shot just over from distance as they dominated a nervous Spain.
But the tide soon turned. Dani Olmo tested Wojciech Szczesny with Moreno complaining, with some justification, that Olmo should have picked him out instead.
Poland were reduced to playing on the break and it was Jordi Alba’s pace that enabled him to get back to snuff out a raid led by Lewandowski.
On 24 minutes the first goal came. Moreno drifted in from the right and slid the ball through a crowd of defenders where Morata dodged in front of Bartosz Bereszynski to turn the ball past Szczesny. The flag was raised b u t VA R confirmed that Morata had been clever, staying the right side of Bereszynksi’s left leg.
Spain had chances to double their advantage. Kamil Gilk brought down Olmo on the edge of the area but Moreno bent the free-kick just wide. And just before the break Alba crossed for Moreno but this time he shot just wide.
It looked like Spain would need the second because Poland were still threatening on the break. From nothing Lewandowski created a chance for Karol Swiderski.
Had the Bayern Munich forward been on the end of the assist instead of its supplier things might have been worse for Spain. And three minutes before the break they lived dangerously again.
Alba failed to control Rodri’s pass and the ball ran to Swiderski who hit the post. The rebound ran to Lewandowski but Unai Simon made the save of the first half to deny him.
Just eight minutes into the second half the equaliser came, and from the expected source. Lewandowski outjumped Laporte to head past Simon. The lead should have lasted little more than three minutes but Moreno missed a penalty.
Moder trod on the forward’s foot and was booked but when Moreno stepped up he hit the post and Morata scuffed the rebound wide with the goal gaping.
The dynamic duo of the first half had combined to fluff the gift of a quick response to Lewandowski’s strike.
Szczesny t hen pushed away Morata’s shot from Moreno’s pass. Ferran Torres was now on for Olmo as Spain were chasing the game. The n e x t t wo c h a n g e s were puzzling. Striker Moreno and midfielder Koke were off with Pablo Sarabia and Fabian Ruiz on.