Wales left Poland empty handed after conceding a late goal to lose 2-1 in their opening game of the Nations League.
Jonny Williams scored a superb opener to give Wales a deserved lead, but goals from Jakub Kamiński and Karol Świderski snatched the victory away.
With both teams playing rotated sides, you’d be forgiven if you believed both teams would play with their foot off the gas. But this wasn’t the case. The first half was a high tempo affair with chances at both ends.
Poland certainly had better chances in the opening 20 minutes. Piotr Zielinski went close with a header, before Robert Lewandowski showed his class by turning his defender and running half the pitch to leave himself one-on-one with Danny Ward, but the Welshman produced a marvellous save to deny the marksman.
Dan James and Kieffer Moore were certainly causing the hosts a problem on the counterattack, and as the first half progressed, their influence grew and grew and got Wales up field.
Debutant Wes Burns went close first. A quick corner routine led to Jonny Williams finding Burns on the edge of the area, but his volley took a deflection and flew past the post.
James then went close after great pressing play by Williams, but as he tried to beat Kamil Grabara at his near post, he dragged his effort wide.
Five minutes before the halftime whistle, Adam Buska almost connected with Zielinski’s cross, but thankfully for the Welsh defence, the ball trickled past the striker’s foot.
Rob Page said in his pre-match interview that he knew exactly who would be substituted in this match and when they would be substituted, and it was those changes who were integral in creating Wales’ goal.
Rabbi Matondo made a marauding run through the middle of the park, before playing it to Mark Harris who nodded it back to the Brugge man. Matondo then found the run of Joniesta, who shifted it onto his right foot and firing his effort past Grabara, to send the Welsh fans into a frenzy in the Wroclaw sun.
After the goal the Poles worked their way back into the game; keeping the ball well, moving the Welsh defence around, and they got their reward in the 72nd minute.
Tymoteusz Puchacz made a clever run down the wing before cutting the ball back to the substitute Jakub Kaminski, who found himself in a lot of space in the box, and he kept his curling effort low and well out the reach of Wayne Hennessey to restore parity in the game.
Both sides pushed to search for that illusive winner, and it fell to the home side five minutes before the end. A defensive error from Matt Smith fell into the path of Lewandowski, who made space for a shot. His effort deflected off Mepham and fell perfectly to Karol Świderski, who bundled the ball into the net and put a dagger through Welsh hearts.
While Rob Page may be disappointed with how the goals were conceded, Wales and Welsh fans can take a lot from this. This game showed the depth in the squad and that it can compete against a strong European football nation like Poland.
Player of the Match: Wes Burns
It was a tremendous debut from the Ipswich man. His play down the wing caused problems for Poland and I’m sure we will see him again in this campaign.
Wales
Danny Ward (GK) (Wayne Hennessey, 46’), Chris Gunter ©, Chris Mepham, Rhys Norrington-Davies, Wes Burns (Neco Williams, 61’), Joe Morrell, Matt Smith, Dylan Levitt, Jonny Williams (Sorba Thomas, 77’), Kieffer Moore (Mark Harris, 46’), Dan James (Rabbi Matondo, 46’)
Unused Subs: Adam Davies (GK), Oliver Denham, Joe Rodon, Harry Wilson, Sorba Thomas, Connor Roberts, Ethan Ampadu
Goals: Jonny Williams (52’)
Yellow Cards: Joe Morrell (29’), Rhys Norrington-Davies (75’)
Poland
Kamil Grabara (GK), Bartosz Bereszyński, Kamil Glik, Jan Bednarek, Tymoteusz Puchacz (Nicola Zalewski, 74’), Mateusz Klich (Szymon Żurkowski, 60’), Grzegorz Krychowiak (Kamil Grosicki, 81’), Jacek Góralski (Jakub Kamiński, 60’), Piotr Zielinski, Adam Buska (Karol Świderski, 74’), Robert Lewandowski ©
Unused Subs: Łukasz Skorupski (GK), Bartłomiej Drągowski (GK), Mateusz Wieteska, Tomasz Kędziora, Kamil Pestka, Damian Szymański, Krzysztof Piątek
Goals: Jakub Kamiński (72’), Karol Świderski (85’)
Yellow Cards: Bartosz Bereszyński (61’)
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