The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Poland stunned as defender fires home winner for Slovakia
Milan Skriniar struck a superb winner as Slovakia stunned 10-man Poland 2-1 in their Euro 2020 opener in St Petersburg.
The Inter Milan defender netted after 69 minutes, soon after Poland midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak had been sent off for a second bookable offence in a tight Group E contest.
Prior to that dismissal, Poland had been in the ascendancy after Karol Linetty cancelled out a first-half Slovakia strike that was credited as a Wojciech Szczesny own goal.
Slovakia enjoyed the better of the first half and they went ahead after 18 minutes when Juventus goalkeeper Szczesny got the final touch after a clever run and strike on to the post from Robert Mak.
With Marek Hamsik and Ondrej Duda confidently spraying passes all around the field, Slovakia grew in confidence after Poland failed to make their good early possession count.
The opener came from a similar route as Mak also cut inside, forced Kamil Jozwiak to back off and then nutmegged Piotr Zielinski.
He then fired in a low shot which took a slight deflection off Kamil Glik, struck the base of the near post and rebounded in off Szczesny.
Poland ended the first half well, but Slovakia keeper Martin Dubravka was not tested as Krychowiak, Zielinski and Robert Lewandowski all missed the target with efforts.
Slovakia eventually succumbed as Poland equalised at the start of the second period.
Rybus picked out Linetty from the byline and the Torino midfielder turned the ball into the net from close range.
However, the balance of the game changed again just after the hour when Krychowiak received a second yellow card for fouling Jakub Hromada.
Slovakia took full advantage of their extra man and soon reclaimed the lead when Skriniar scored with a sweetly struck low shot.