Poland return to home comforts as they take on the challenge of facing unbeaten England at the PGE Narodowy

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Back-to-back victories have been securing for the first time during Paulo Sousa’s tenure, but now they face group leaders England in a bid to shatter their unbeaten record in qualifying.

The Whites and Reds’ smashing of San Marino was expected, however, the biggest surprise from that game was the hosts scoring and it came from another defensive error from the Poland backline.

Poland scored their first inside the first five minutes as Robert Lewandowski got on the score sheet in a flash. The forward’s first touch was fantastic and his goal was brilliantly taken putting the ball into the bottom right corner of Elia Benedettini’s goal.

Karol Swiderski fired Sousa’s men into a 2-0 lead in the 14th minute. Tymoteusz Puchacz nonchalantly squared the ball into the striker’s path as he found the roof of the net from close range.

Lewandowski made it three five minutes later after Damian Szymański passed the ball into the captain’s path for an easy tap-in. Before half-time, Karol Linetty scored number four as Lewandowski’s chipped ball into the box found the on-running midfielder for him to calmly slot into the back of the net.

Two minutes into the second half, Nicola Nanni scored San Marino’s only goal of the game after a huge error from the Polish backline. The forward out paced the backpedaling Michal Helik and grabbed his side’s second goal of the calendar year.

Adam Buksa then went on a rampage scoring a hat-trick in only his second appearance for Poland as Sousa’s men ran out 7-1 victors.

Moving onto England, and Gareth Southgate’s men have won all five of their qualifying matches including their most recent encounter against Andorra.

The deadlock was broken in the 18th minute as Jesse Lingard’s steered his effort into the back of the net after a Bukayo Saka cross.

Reece James could have extended England’s lead early in the second half, but his effort from outside the box cannoned off the crossbar.

With 20 minutes to go, Mason Mount was fouled inside the penalty area with the referee pointing to the spot. Up stepped Harry Kane and calmly placed the ball into the bottom corner.

Lingard doubled his tally in the 78th minute as the midfielder’s curled effort hit the back of the net. Saka made it 4-0 with a calm header with England claiming another three points in Group I.

Poland and England have already faced each other in the World Cup Qualifers with the Three Lions victorious at Wembley Stadium earlier this year.

Kane’s penalty gave them the lead early in the first half before Jakub Moder’s effort levelled the game up at 1-1. Southgate’s men had the final say as Harry Maguire scored the winner in the dying embers and handed Poland their first defeat in the Qualifiers.

The White and Reds have only beaten England once with the victory coming all the way back in 1973. Sousa will be determined to get his side firing on all cylinders and to make sure that they minimise the defensive errors as with strikers like Harry Kane, Patrick Bamford and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, mistakes allow them to thrive and score goals.

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