Zielinski strikes late to see Poland prevail over Albania in World Cup play-offs

[p]The hosts had never previously lost at home to their opponents, and set about extending that record through [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lewandowski-robert/MVC8zHZD/"]Robert Lewandowski[/a], who had an early strike deflected narrowly wide.[/p][p]Defender [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hysaj-elseid/8z6PLSII/"]Elseid Hysaj[/a] then cleared [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kiwior-jakub/vRM9G8Jd/"]Jakub Kiwior[/a]’s looping header off the line, but chances soon dried up, with a resilient defence holding firm and forcing the Eagles to shoot from distance, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cash-matty/hfxPh7Kn/"]Matty Cash[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rozga-filip/dxicsVjO/"]Filip Rozga[/a] unable to hit the target. [/p][p]The Red and Blacks have never qualified for a WC, but they were growing in confidence and duly silenced the capacity crowd in Warsaw by taking the lead before the break. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bednarek-jan/l4MMmL5S/"]Jan Bednarek[/a]’s error - as he failed to cut out a through ball - allowed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hoxha-arber/dtrIyhzU/"]Arber Hoxha[/a] an opportunity to pounce, and he duly rounded the goalkeeper before calmly converting from a difficult angle. [/p][p]That was a real wake-up call for the Poles, but they could not find a response before the interval, with Lewandowski whipping their best chance just wide of the far post.[/p][image alt="Poland - Albania match stats" id="f39f86b1-245d-49ef-add1-d5a400a34dd7" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="8d716ccf-ed57-46cc-ada7-559186bee76f" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]With Jan Urban desperate for a revival, 17-year-old [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pietuszewski-oskar/nyNSVjF0/"]Oskar Pietuszewski[/a] was thrown on for his debut after the interval.[/p][p]They were not far away from an equaliser when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zielinski-piotr/dlFNZSvb/"]Zielinski[/a] curled off target from 22 yards, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/albania/ELP2K4oB/"]Albania[/a] should have doubled their lead when Hysaj was at the forefront of a rapid counter-attack before feeding [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bajrami-nedim/Q1wMNrxU/"]Nedim Bajramim[/a], who blazed haplessly past the post from a central position inside the penalty area.[/p][p]That could have put the match to bed, but instead the door remained open for a comeback, and Poland duly burst right through it when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/strakosha-thomas/I30e9nTO/"]Thomas Strakosha[/a] flapped at a deep corner, allowing Lewandowski to climb highest at the back post and nod home from just inches out.[/p][p]The goalkeeper did pull off an unconvincing stop from Zielinski minutes later, while opposite number [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/grabara-kamil/0MhuM4YL/"]Kamil Grabara[/a] denied debutant Stavros Pilios - who should have done better - at the other end. [/p][p]That save proved crucial as the hosts hit the front in spectacular fashion with their next attack. Zieliński was left in acres of space 25 yards out, and he drilled a dipping strike into the far corner.[/p][p]That shattered Albania’s resistance once and for all, as they lost on the road for the first time in a year, whereas Poland - who nearly grabbed a third when Pietuszewski fired wide - are through to face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sweden/OQyqbHWB/"]Sweden[/a] for a place at the WC on Tuesday.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zielinski-piotr/dlFNZSvb/"]Piotr Zielinski[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/poland/2HzmcynI/"]Poland[/a])[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/albania-ELP2K4oB/poland-2HzmcynI/?mid=ruWYiHPi"]Check out the match summary with Flashscore[/a][/b].[/p]