Poland make history with Germany win
Saturday, October 11, 2014
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Poland 2-0 Germany
Arkadiusz Milik and substitute Sebastian Milascore at a sold-out National Stadium Warsaw to defeat the world champions.
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• Poland beat Germany for the first time in 19 meetings
• A sell-out crowd in Warsaw is delighted by Arkadiusz Milik's headed opener
• Substitute Sebastian Mila makes it 2-0 late on
• Poland join the Republic of Ireland on six Group D points, three clear of Germany
• Next games: Poland v Scotland, Germany v Republic of Ireland (14 October)
Poland defeated Germany for the first time in their 19 meetings to steal a march in UEFA EURO 2016 Group D and stun the world champions.
Germany had won 12 and drawn six of the previous fixtures between these two but almost all of a sell-out 56,934 crowd in Warsaw were willing that to change. Bundesliga-based Robert Lewandowski could have moved level with Zbigniew Boniek on 24 international goals had he scored, but in the end he did not need to beat club-mate Manuel Neuer.
It was tight early on, until Germany started to dominate possession and on 31 minutes a Jérôme Boateng long-range effort was deflected away. Thomas Müller was unable to beat Wojciech Szczęsny and was then thwarted by Kamil Glik when seemingly in the clear. Müller also headed over a 42nd-minute André Schürrle cross, before things turned after the break.
The home team began to produce quick counterattacks and from one they took a 51st-minute lead. Borussia Dortmund defender Łukasz Piszczek sent a great pass into the box which Arkadiusz Milik, himself on loan to AFC Ajax from Bayer 04 Leverkusen, rose high to nod in.
Germany looked to respond but Szczęsny and the Polish defence held firm while Karim Bellarabi shot over. Then, as time ran out, Lewandowski broke into the area and cut back for substitute Sebastian Mila to seal a famous victory.