A double from Blaugrana Robert Lewandowski, the first of the penalty goals, relieved Poland, which suffered more than expected to carry out the visit of the fragile Faroe Islands, in the group E duel of the qualifying phase for Euro 2024.
The Polish team had no margin for error as they faced the clash weighed down by two defeats – against the Czech Republic and Moldova – and with the victory against Albania as their only argument.
Until the final stretch, Portuguese Fernando Santos’ team did not find a way to overcome its weak opponent, last in the group, with only a draw, in the first game against Moldova, and two lost games later.
It had to be in the 70th minute when a handball from a visiting player, reviewed by the VAR, led to a penalty that the Barcelona player converted. The second, seven from the end, came with a wonderful finish, after receiving a ball inside the area from Damian Szymanski.
Lewandowski’s goals reaffirm the good moment of the Barça attacker and his reunion with the goal. The Poland striker has four goals in the last three games.
Poland is third in their group, with one point less than Albania, second and two behind the leader, the Czech Republic, after completing the fourth day.
Besides. After a hesitant start that ended with a painful defeat against France, the Netherlands has straightened its qualifying path towards Euro 2024 with the victory achieved in Eindhoven against Greece, which added to the victory achieved against Gibraltar last March.
Greece’s inferiority to the Orange team was unquestionable, and the match was resolved in the first half, which revealed the fragile defensive system of its rival. Too many facilities for Ronald Koeman’s team, which already got the score back on track after a quarter of an hour, when Marten De Roon scored his first goal with the national team by taking a pass inside the area from Denzel Dumfries into the net after a corner taken by Daley Blind.
The Inter Milan winger was a nightmare for Greece. Dumfries had a hand in all three first-half goals. In the second, he received a pass from Xavi Simons, unopposed on the right, and sent a wonderful cross to Cody Gakpo who was completely alone and who shot Odysseas Vlachodimos. The Inter side was able to score with a shot from the crescent that repelled the right post of the Greek goalkeeper who could do nothing in the third local goal, signed by striker Wout Weghorst, with a header, without opposition, in a new assist from Dumfries .
The situation of Poyet’s team did not improve in the second half. Koeman’s team found more space in a clash that lost continuity due to the changes and interruptions that the visitors clung to. In fact, Poyet took on the situation and recalled regular players with his mind on the next match, against Gibraltar. Among these is the Blaugrana Frenkie de Jong. Although he did not participate in the scoring of the goals, he was key with his driving to break lines and demonstrated his good timing. The Netherlands, for its part, visits Ireland, where it can make a statement, consolidate second place, only behind France, and clear the outlook for the final phase.
With two wins in a row, the Netherlands has normalized the situation. They are already second in their group, B, and have beaten a direct rival, the Greek team led by Uruguayan Gustavo Poyet, who have already been defeated in two matches. On their next visit to Ireland, where they can make a statement, consolidate second place, only behind France, and clear the outlook for the final phase.
