Smuda recalls Boenisch, Jeleń for Poland
Thursday, February 16, 2012
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Sebastian Boenisch is back in the Poland squad after a 16-month injury lay-off and Franciszek Smuda has also recalled Ireneusz Jeleń for Portugal's visit to Warsaw on 29 February.
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Sebastian Boenisch has been recalled to the Poland squad for the 29 February friendly against Portugal after more than a year out injured – for the first football game at the National Stadium Warsaw where the co-hosts will kick off UEFA EURO 2012.
The SV Werder Bremen defender suffered a serious knee injury in September 2010, weeks after making his first two Poland appearances, and only recently returned for his club's third-division reserve side. Nonetheless, national team coach Franciszek Smuda has opted to bring back the 25-year-old for Poland's last match before their three pre-finals warm-up fixtures in May and June.
"It is true Boenisch was injured for a long time and has played just a couple of matches in Werder Bremen's reserve team but I did not want to forget about him," said Smuda. "We all know what big problems we have on the left side of defence and despite the fact Jakub Wawrzyniak is making great progress, I need another option and that option is Boenisch. With this call I also wanted to give him extra motivation to work even harder and return to full fitness."
Also back in the fold is LOSC Lille Métropole forward Ireneusz Jeleń, 30, for the first time since February 2010. "Jeleń is only a substitute for his club at the moment, but we know his ability, especially his fantastic speed," Smuda explained. "If he is fit, he can give us a lot. Against Portugal, I want him to show me we can still count on him."
Poland squad
Goalkeepers: Wojciech Szczęsny (Arsenal FC), Łukasz Fabiański (Arsenal FC).
Defenders: Łukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund), Marcin Wasilewski (RSC Anderlecht), Damien Perquis (FC Sochaux-Montbéliard), Sebastian Boenisch (SV Werder Bremen), Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warszawa), Tomasz Jodłowiec (KSP Polonia Warszawa), Grzegorz Wojtkowiak (KKS Lech Poznań), Marcin Kamiński (KKS Lech Poznań).
Midfielders: Dariusz Dudka (AJ Auxerre), Ludovic Obraniak (FC Girondins de Bordeaux), Adam Matuszczyk (Fortuna Düsseldorf), Sławomir Peszko (1. FC Köln), Eugen Polanski (1. FSV Mainz), Jakub Błaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund), Adrian Mierzejewski (Trabzonspor AŞ), Maciej Rybus (FC Terek Grozny), Sebastian Mila (WKS Śląsk Wrocław).
Forwards: Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund), Kamil Grosicki (Sivasspor), Ireneusz Jeleń (LOSC Lille Métropole).