By defeating Saudi Arabia 2-0 on Saturday, Robert Lewandowski put an end to his wait for his first World Cup goal as Poland made a crucial stride toward reaching the knockout round for the first time in 36 years.
Talisman Lewandowski's missed penalty against Mexico had prevented Poland from winning their initial match, but he and they made up for it at Education City Stadium by defeating Argentina's victorious team and splitting up Group C.
Even though Saudi Arabia was largely more impressive than in their smash-and-grab victory over Argentina, they once more fell behind and were unable to catch up; in this most recent installment of the spot-kick drama, Wojciech Szczesny was hailed as a hero after denying Salem Al Dawsari.
After that save, Lewandowski helped Piotr Zielinski score the game's first goal and then, much later, scored a game-winning goal to secure Poland's victory and put them four points ahead of Lionel Messi and company. Six minutes before halftime, Matty Cash sprinted onto a sharp pass and squared to Lewandowski, whose initial touch moved him away from goal before he cut the ball back for Zielinski's precise finish.
A VAR review that gave Saleh Al Shehri an easy penalty after contact from Krystian Bielik may have sped up the reaction, but Szczesny sensationally stopped Al Dawsari's spot-kick and then — even more spectacularly — Mohammed Al Burayk's follow-up. Ten minutes after the restart, Szczesny had to save Poland once again by stopping Al Dawsari with his legs after Feras Al Brikan and Mohammed Kanno both shot wildly wide.
Lewandowski and Arkadiusz Milik both missed opportunities to end the game for Poland, but the Barcelona player eventually scored after stealing the ball from Abdulelah Al Malki and dispatching it neatly.
WHY DOES THAT MATTER? POLAND IS IN FIRST PLACE.
Although Lewandowski would have felt the weight of the world lifted off his shoulders with a first goal in his fifth finals game, Czeslaw Michniewicz's team was not particularly impressive even in victory.
Importantly, Poland also has a standout player on the opposing end of the field. Their dominance in this group is largely due to their consecutive clean sheets, of which they have already kept three dating back to 2018 - matching their best such run.
POLAND'S MIRACULOUS PENALTIES
Three of the five penalties that Poland has now faced at World Cups have been saved. With his halt, Szczesny joins Jan Tomaszewski in excluding two players from the 1970 competition.
Al Burayk's save on the rebound was actually impressive, as Szczesny earlier had stopped Kanno with aplomb and would later confound Al Dawsari once more.
TEMPERS FLARE UP.
A sympathetic observer would describe this match as "competitive" given that it was played in front of a boisterous audience that was largely Saudi. Both sides' players charged headlong into challenges, occasionally using both arms and legs.
Both teams received four more yellow cards in the first 30 minutes than shots (three). Five cards had been issued by halftime, which was the highest in a World Cup game since the infamously heated 2010 final. A red card looked inescapable at some point, but it never materialized.
NEXT, WHAT?
Still, Poland will face Argentina in what is arguably their most difficult matchup. Argentina will be playing for a victory. Prior to their matchup with Mexico at the same time on Wednesday, Saudi Arabia are still in the running.
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