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Football: Poland to take on Hungary in last World Cup qualifier

15.11.2021 12:00
Poland are set to take on Hungary in their last 2022 World Cup qualifier at home on Monday, having already secured a spot in the playoffs for next year's football tournament in Qatar.
Poland manager Paulo Sousa (left) and player Matty Cash (right) during a pre-match news conference in Warsaw on Sunday, Nov. 14, 2021.
Poland manager Paulo Sousa (left) and player Matty Cash (right) during a pre-match news conference in Warsaw on Sunday, Nov. 14, 2021.Photo: PAP/Leszek Szymański

The match at the National Stadium in the Polish capital kicks off at 8:45 p.m. Warsaw time.

Poland are ranked 23rd worldwide by football's governing body FIFA, while Hungary are No. 43 in the FIFA table.

The Poles, under their Portuguese manager Paulo Sousa, go into the match missing several key players, including star strikeRobert Lewandowski, who has been given time to rest amid a busy run of games, Poland's PAP news agency reported.

But the Polish squad is expected to include several other players excelling in Europe, such as Napoli midfielder Piotr Zieliński and Hertha Berlin forward Krzysztof Piątek.

English Premier League right-back Matty Cash, who became a Polish citizen last month, is also expected to make the squad after making his international debut on Friday.

The Polish team, captained by Lewandowski, FIFA's world player of the year for 2020, on Friday beat Andorra 4-1 in its previous 2022 World Cup qualifier.

After nine rounds of fixtures, Poland are in second place in their qualifying Group I, behind England, with 20 points and a plus-20 goal differential.

All group winners in European qualification automatically secure a place at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The 10 group runners-up will have a second chance to advance through playoffs in March.

The tournament will be held in Qatar from November 21 to December 18, 2022.

Source: PAP