Football: Poland lose 0-1 to Italy in Nations League
PR dla Zagranicy
Paweł Kononczuk
14.10.2018 23:11
Poland on Sunday lost 0-1 to Italy after conceding a stoppage-time goal in their third match of the new UEFA Nations League.
Poland goalie Wojciech Szczęsny lunges but fails to stop Italy scoring. Photo: PAP/Andrzej Grygiel
The defeat means the Poles, who were playing at home in the southern city of Chorzów, face relegation to League B of the Nations League.
Italy, oozing potential and class, created a series of chances in the second half on Sunday but lacked precision finishing until the 92nd minute.
After a corner, Cristiano Biraghi slotted the ball into the bottom right of the Polish net in the second minute of injury time.
Luck and a series of acrobatics by Poland goalie Wojciech Szczęsny allowed the Poles to keep a clean sheet in the first half.
Poland on Thursday lost 2-3 to Portugal in their second match of the Nations League, a sobering home defeat that exposed the side's frailties and left fans in low spirits.
The Poles in early September drew 1-1 with Italy in their first match in the group stage of the Nations League.
That game, in Bologna, was a promising debut by Jerzy Brzęczek as manager of the Polish national squad. He took over after Poland’s early exit from the World Cup in Russia.
(pk)