Saudi Arabia’s self-confidence could be seen in a fan poster before the game. “Where’s Messi?” was to read on it, the sentence was crossed out in red. Below it was written: “Where is Lewandowski?” The two green-clad supporters held the banner in front of the lenses of any photographer who wanted a picture, and there were many. If this Saudi Arabia can beat Argentina and Lionel Messi 2-1, why not Poland and Robert Lewandowski?
The two questioners saw where Lewandowski was in the 40th minute – namely in the Saudi penalty area. After a quick move from his own half, Lewandowski was first denied by the Saudi goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais, but caught the rebound himself with a quick reaction and danced elegantly in front of the goal line, after a pirouette he placed it across to Piotr Zielinski, who only had to shoot in. An assist like a goal.
And with eight minutes to go, Lewandowski was too close to defender Abdulellah al-Malki. He didn’t stop the ball cleanly, Lewandowski grabbed it and made it 2-0. The FC Barcelona striker, who often cheers choreographed mechanically after his goals, lay with his face on the grass with relief and probably even shed a few tears. It was his first goal in a World Cup in the fifth game. He missed a penalty in the opening game against Mexico.
In the end it was a bitter 2-0 for Saudi Arabia and its fans, who created a fantastic atmosphere at Education City Stadium, even preparing a choreography with a green and white heart. Yes, there is also that here. Not everyone got tickets either, and the fan zones were also full of people dressed in green and white who came across the border from the neighboring kingdom. They were only quiet in stoppage time – you could only hear the small Polish block celebrating Robert Lewandowski.
Szczesny first saves the penalty, then the margin
That was not foreseeable at the beginning, Saudi Arabia started extremely courageously against the actually still favorites from Europe. He seemed taken by surprise by the opponent’s aggressive attack and didn’t come into play at all. After 13 minutes, Wojciech Szczesny deflected a flick from Mohamed Kano just over the bar. Poland reacted harshly against the outsider’s ambitions, saw three yellow cards within three minutes between the 16th and 19th minutes, all cards because of too hard fouls.
Where is Lewandowski? Confident Saudi Arabian fans in front of the stadium.
(Photo: Lars Baron/Getty Images)
That worked a bit, but it didn’t make the game any better. Lewandowski only got the ball again and again after a good half hour, was closely guarded by Saudi defenders, in the 37th minute he unluckily kicked Ali al-Bulaihi in the arm in one of these duels, the defender had to be treated but was able to keep going.
After the Polish goal, the team of French coach Herve Renard had the best chance to equalize – a penalty. Krystian Bielik fouled Saleh al-Shehri, referee Wilton Sampaio from Brazil gave the penalty after studying the video images – two Saudi players sank to the pitch as if in prayer after the decision. Captain Salem Al-Dawsari stepped up, Szczesny not only saved the penalty but also the margin. “He won this game,” said coach Renard of Szczesny’s performance after the game.
The fact that the goalkeeper from Juventus Turin was the most important man for the Poles in the second half said a lot about how the game went. In a confusing situation in his own penalty area, he finally cleared against Al-Dawsari, in the 60th minute he did not have to intervene because Firas al-Buraikan’s shot went wide after a nice combination. Saudi Arabia more than deserved the equalizer at that point and showed that beating Argentina was no fluke.
Poland lacked class, but unlike their opponents, they had power in the penalty area. First Arkadiusz Milik’s pike header hit the crossbar, then Lewandowski pointed a cross pass towards the post. Fifteen minutes before the end, a shot from Saudi Arabia hissed just wide. It was a 2-2 game disguised as a 2-0.
For Poland it is now a matter of progressing against Argentina, who would be out if they lost to Mexico on Saturday night. Saudi Arabia will play Mexico for the round of 16. Luckily, the game will take place in the final stadium with its 80,000 seats. After the impressions of the first week of the World Cup, it could be the most atmospheric game of this World Cup, and Mexico has also brought a lot of fans to Qatar. Although the arrival was much further.