If you’re not one of many greatest footballing nations, the elite expertise at your disposal is proscribed to a handful of participant at most. So, while you arrive at a serious event and your star man and all-time report purpose scorer, 35-year-old Lewandowski, is nursing a thigh damage, the outlook can look bleak.
Poland subsequently wanted others to step as much as present the leading edge in assault that Lewandwoski has given them over so a few years.
The hope was that the Barcelona ahead would solely miss Poland’s opening sport of Euro 2024 (in opposition to Netherlands on June 16), however he was nonetheless not match to begin this conflict in opposition to Austria.
Within the first sport, Adam Buksa led the road and scored to provide Poland the lead. It wasn’t sufficient (Netherlands received 2-1), however they did look good for some extent till Wout Weghorst’s late purpose.
In opposition to Austria, with Buksa much less influential, it was the flip of Krzysztof Piatek to attain, with the 28-year-old changing the equaliser from shut vary after the ball fell invitingly to him within the field.
Lewandowski might solely watch on from the bench within the first half, providing his ideas to the teaching workers to attempt to affect proceedings, till his introduction on 60 minutes. The sport was within the stability however he was unable to offer the additional spark required as Poland fell to a second straight 2-1 defeat that leaves them on the point of elimination.