Robert Lewandowski scored a hat-trick on his 170th Poland appearance as Jan Urban's side thrashed ten-man Romania 6-0 in Warsaw on Friday, earning their first win of the UEFA Nations League B, Group 4 campaign.
Match facts
- Result: Poland 6-0 Romania (half-time 1-0)
- Competition: UEFA Nations League B, Group 4, Matchday 3
- Venue: PGE Narodowy, Warsaw
- Scorers: Poland - Lewandowski 24' (pen), 47', 86', Ghiță 49' (og), Zieliński 62', Bednarek 66'
- Red cards: Drăgușin (Romania) 22'
- Next: Bosnia and Herzegovina v Poland, Monday 5 October; Romania v Sweden
How the match unfolded
Romania started the brighter side. Răzvan Marin forced Marcin Bułka into a save with his feet from a corner inside the first ten minutes, and the Poland goalkeeper had to be alert again to stop a Daniel Bîrligea volley.
The game turned in the 22nd minute. Lewandowski chased a long ball into the area and went down under a challenge from Radu Drăgușin. Swiss referee Urs Schnyder awarded a penalty and sent the defender off, and Lewandowski sent Otto Hindrich the wrong way from the spot two minutes later.
Hindrich kept the score at 1-0 until the break, tipping a long-range Przemysław Frankowski shot onto the post, and Karol Świderski wasted a chance by squaring poorly when Lewandowski was free in front of goal.
Poland settled the contest within four minutes of the restart. In the 47th minute Nicola Zalewski's low pass set up Lewandowski for a close-range second, and two minutes later Virgil Ghiță turned Frankowski's cross into his own net.
Sebastian Szymański curled against the woodwork before Piotr Zieliński made it 4-0 in the 62nd minute, volleying in after Marin headed the ball straight into his path. Four minutes later Jan Bednarek headed in Szymański's corner. Lewandowski completed his hat-trick in the 86th minute with a finish from inside the area after substitute Oskar Pietuszewski's assist.
What it means
It was Lewandowski's first hat-trick for Poland since October 2019, against Latvia in Euro 2020 qualifying, according to the Polish football federation. The win lifts Poland to four points, three behind group leaders Sweden (seven) and one behind Bosnia and Herzegovina (five), who drew 1-1 in Edin Džeko's farewell international on the same night. Romania have lost all three games and sit bottom without a point.
What happens next
Poland travel to Bosnia and Herzegovina on Monday 5 October, while Romania host Sweden.