Match Review: Senegal v. Poland

Senegal v Poland
Score: 2-1
Goals: OG Cionek 37' Niang 60' Krychowiak 86'
Possession: 39-61
Shots: 8-11
Man of the match: Niang (G)

In a dramatic and controversial match, Senegal defeated Poland 2-1 in Moscow. The match started off very even between both sides. Both sides seemed to cancel each other out though throughout the first half. The first chance took a while to come but finally came around the 20' minute. Left-back Sabaly played a beautiful ball in towards striker M'Baye Niang. Niang controlled it and drove it towards goal. Unfortunately for Niang, he dragged it wide, and the score remained 0-0. Poland responded with a chance of their own when a ball was crossed in, and winger Kamil Grosicki headed just over the bar. Then the first goal finally came when Sadio Mane picked the ball up just outside of the box. He was able to find midfielder Idrissa Gueye who fired towards goal. His shot took a very beneficial deflection off defender Thiago Cionek and rolled in past Szczesny to make it 1-0. This lead the match into half-time. Poland came out with a vengeance throughout the first ten minutes of the second half. Their first chance came from a Robert Lewandowski free-kick which was brilliantly saved by the keeper, Khadim N'Diaye. But just as Poland were gaining momentum, Senegal doubled their advantage through M'Baye Niang. Just a minute before the goal Niang was off the pitch as he had just taken a knock. But then at the most convenient time, the referee blew his whistle to let him come back onto the pitch. He was able to lock on to a backpass to the keeper and rounded him and slotted it home to make it 2. This seemed to demoralize the Poles who failed to respond till very late on when they finally got their goal to cut the deficit in half. A beautiful free-kick was lofted in and headed across goal by Grzegorz Krychowiak and into the back of the net. This gave Poland hope but unfortunately only ended up being a consolation goal, and the match finished 2-1. For Senegal, it puts them top of the group on goal difference going into their second match against Japan. For Poland, this leaves them in a poor spot with Colombia on the horizon.