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Football: Poland to play Sweden in crucial Euro 2020 clash

23.06.2021 07:00
Poland on Wednesday take on Sweden in their final group-stage game at Euro 2020, a do-or-die clash that the Polish national football team needs to win to stay in the tournament.
Poland players during a training session in the Baltic city of Gdańsk on Tuesday.
Poland players during a training session in the Baltic city of Gdańsk on Tuesday.Photo: PAP/Marcin Gadomski

The match in St. Petersburg kicks off at 6 p.m. Warsaw time, with Poland looking to make their mark at the European championships after a disappointing 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Poland, with just one point after two group-stage Euro 2020 games, need to defeat Sweden to advance to the knockout stage of the tournament.

Sweden are at the top of the group, with four points, ahead of Slovakia with three points and Spain in third place with two.

Poland still have a chance of going through to the last 16 despite being last in their Group E.

The championships, held by the European football governing body UEFA, opened on June 11 after being rescheduled from last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Poland, captained by star striker Robert Lewandowski and coached by Portuguese manager Paulo Sousa, lost 1-2 to lower-ranked Slovakia in their opening game at the Euro 2020 tournament on June 14 and then drew 1-1 against Spain in their second fixture five days later.

The Polish side goes into Wednesday's match missing several key players, including strikers Krzysztof Piątek and Arkadiusz Milik, both of whom have been ruled out of Euro 2020 by injuries.

Poland are ranked 21st worldwide by football's governing body FIFA, while Sweden are No. 18 in the FIFA table.

Poland captain Robert Lewandowski. Poland captain Robert Lewandowski. Photo: PAP/Marcin Gadomski

The 24-team Euro 2020 tournament, delayed from last year, runs until July 11 in 11 cities around Europe.

Poland in 2016 made it through to the quarterfinals of the European championships in France, losing to Portugal on penalties.

The Polish team suffered an early exit from the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

(gs/pk)

Source: TVP Sport, IAR, PAP