Poles apart as Messi strolls while Szczesny & Co sweat
Mac Allister 46; Álvarez 67
Poland scraped into the last 16 of the World Cup on goal difference after a backs-to-thewall performance saw them lose 2-0 to Group C winners Argentina.
With the group on a knife edge heading into the final round of fixtures, Mexico conceded a last-gasp goal in a 2-1 victory over Saudi Arabia, sending Poland through after it had seemed for much of the second half that they would advance purely on fair play rules.
Second-half goals from Premier League duo Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez ensured Argentina progressed after Lionel Messi had a controversial penalty saved by Wojciech Szczesny.
Messi will now lead Argentina out versus Australia in the next round, while Poland’s reward for squeaking through is a tough test against reigning champions France.
Playing the 999th game of his senior career, Messi had two early chances saved by Szczesny as he struggled to get into the contest, with Robert Lewandowski suffering from a similar issue at the other end of the pitch.
Juvent us goal keeper szczesny was again called into action to turn away an Alvarez shot but, in attempting to claim a cross from the rebound, he caught Messi with a stray hand, the VAR alerting referee Danny Makkelie to the incident.
The Dutch official contentiously pointed to the spot after viewing a replay but any angst Szczesny felt at the call was relieved as he brilliantly turned away mess i’ s penalty, his second save from the spot in Qatar.
But there was nothing the former Arsenal player could do two minutes into the second half as mac al lister’ s first argentinagoal put his side ahead. the scuffed strike was the first goal Szczesny conceded in the tournament and should have given Poland a wake-up call which never came.
Having set out not to concede and Lewandowski isolated for so much of the game, Poland could not switch things on in the final third, – Mac Allister coming close to a second only to this time see his low shot saved.
Argentina secured the win, and progression as group winners despite their shock defeat to saudi arabia, with a well-taken second as Manchester City forward Alvarez curled home from Enzo Fernandez’s pass.
At that stage of the contest, Poland were progressing by virtue of picking up three fewer bookings than Mexico.
Grzegorz Krychowiak’s yellow card with 12 minutes remaining reduced that margin, while Lautaro Martinez passed up a decent chance to score a third for Argentina and send Poland packing.
Head coach Czeslaw Michniewicz cut a frustrated figure as Poland fans in the stands at Stadium 974 anxiously checked their phones for updates.
Substitute Nicolas Tagliafico almost added a third but his clipped effort was cleared by the back-tracking Jakub Kiwior as Poland survived once more.
Full-time arrived in Doha three minutes before the whistle at Lusail Stadium, where Mexico conceded in stoppage time. Poland’ s players celebratedon the pitch after huddling to watch the closing stages.