Poland's Lewandowski: 'Too bad we didn't score'

It is a measure of Poland's burgeoning UEFA EURO 2016 ambition that, following their 0-0 draw against world champions Germany, Adam Nawałka's side felt a tiny bit deflated, midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak conceding: "There is slight disappointment."

Poland's opening 1-0 win against Northern Ireland divided the critics a little back home; however, their 0-0 draw with their neighbours was a good deal more persuasive, and means they can finish no lower than third in Group C – final-day opponents Ukraine can no longer catch them. It was a performance worth celebrating, but a match they might have won with slightly cooler heads.

• Match report: Germany 0-0 Poland
• How the match unfolded in real time
• Germany and Poland both satisfied with draw

"Definitely, we're happy," skipper Robert Lewandowski told EURO2016.com. "Getting a point from the world champions is a valuable achievement. At first we gave our opponents too much respect. We played very defensively and were missing the players up front to create chances. In the second half we changed it. We started to attack with more players and we created opportunities. Too bad we didn't score a goal, because I think we deserved at least one."

Two games without a goal seems like a barren spell for the qualifying competition's top marksman, but Lewandowski preferred to underplay that angle. "It would be good to get a goal, but I haven't had any chances," the Bayern München striker said. "I know how difficult it can be, and I'm often on my own up front. But it's not about statistics – it's about the team. I hope I will score against Ukraine, but more than that, I hope we win and go through."

Krychowiak, another key player, could not help but see negatives in what was a full-blooded Poland display. "We could have won if we'd been more efficient," the Sevilla midfielder told EURO2016.com. "I think we created more dangerous situations than Germany. We had three or four very big chances. Overall, it's a good result, but it could have been better. If we play like this, we can go a long way."

Łukasz Fabiański, who replaced the injured Wojciech Szczęsny in goal, dealt well with the few German openings – mostly punts from distance – that came his way. "I did my best to help the team," was his conclusion. "I did my job."

That task was made easier by the willingness of all outfield players to defend their goal. "The most important thing was for the whole team to take part in the defence," midfielder Jakub Błaszczykowski told EURO2016.com. "In a sense, we had to sacrifice our individual instinct to push forward in favour of properly protecting our goal, and we managed to do this."

The reward? Four points and two clean sheets after two outings for the second-placed Poles. Not to be sniffed at. "We are in a really good position," coach Nawałka noted. "Of course we are not through yet, but we have a good chance."