Poland v Saudi Arabia
Kick Off: 13:00
Competition: World Cup 2022
Watch Live: ITV1
Saudi Arabia shocked the world in their opening game against Argentina. They can now set their sights on qualifying for the knockout stages and a positive result on Saturday would go a long way to helping them achieve that.
They impressed with their willingness to press Argentina high up the pitch and they had success after winning the ball back. Herve Renard took a lot of the plaudits for the way his team played as a unit. Renard achieved a lot in Africa by winning the AFCOn with two different teams. He is now getting recognition on a world level after masterminding one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. Salem Al-Dawsari was a player we picked out as a danger ahead of the Argentina game and he duly delivered. The winger scored a wonderful goal in a frantic five minutes for the Saudis. His effort turned out to be decisive and it alleviates pressure on them coming into the second match against Poland.
The Poles were largely disappointing in their opener. They sat back and rarely seized the initiative. Robert Lewandowski was an isolated figure at the top of the pitch for the most part. He was handed a golden opportunity to snatch 3 points but he was unable to convert from the penalty spot.
The draw against Mexico means Poland need to beat Saudi Arabia on Saturday to prolong their chances to qualify for the Round of 16. The style the Poles played versus Mexicans has come in for a lot of criticism. So there is just a moderate optimism among Polish fans and pundits. Still, Poland will have to be braver up front and more consistent at the back. They may want to dominate the opponent and show some level of initiative when it comes to attacking play. Saudis, raptourus after defeating Argenitinians, will stand strong in defence and ferocious in attack. Nonetheless, I believe The White and Reds will be the dominant force trying to impose their style of play and control the ball. The win gives the Polish side a considerable chance to qualify and they will be more than happy to take advantage of this opportunity.
Czesław Michniewicz, Poland coach, is believed to change the formation and make some changes in the squad. There is a good chance Poland will play two forwards, with Karol Świderski joining Robert Lewandowski. It should help to create more situations resulting in a goal or two, hopefully. Defensive line may be adjusted to a 3-man block which offers bigger freedom for wing-backs.
This game is a difficult one to call. Poland have more quality than the Saudis but there is no doubt who put in the better performance on matchday 1. I don’t envisage this game being decided by more than 1 goal and Poland remain the most likely victors despite the early heroics for Saudi Arabia.
Selection: 1 of 3
Prediction: Saud Abdulhamid to commit 1+ Fouls
Odds: 1.57
Abdulhamid was kept very busy in Saudi Arabia’s last match. The right-back’s heat map reveals that he had an impact in both the attacking and defensive thirds. He was forced to commit fouls to break up the play. He made 3 successful tackles, 6 fouls and picked up a yellow card against Argentina.
Poland are also capable of causing problems for opposition full backs. Mexico’s right-back made 3 fouls and picked up a booking in their opening match, despite Poland being far from their best.
Abdulhamid is available at an inviting price for 2 fouls here. 3.75 is appealing when considering the 6 fouls he made last game.
Selection: 2 of 3
Prediction: Over 2.5 Saudi Arabia Cards
Odds: 2.0
The draw against Mexico means the pressure is on Poland to get a win against Saudi Arabia to have any chance of qualifying for the round of 16. With this in mind, Poland will try to impose their own style of play and control the ball for much of the match forcing Saudi Arabia to defend deep in an attempt to break up their play. The referee for this tie is Wilton Sampaio who handed out 26 cards in 6 games during the World Cup Qualifiers. And with Saudi Arabia racking up 6 yellows against Argentina, I believe over 2.5 cards in this match looks like great value.
Selection: 3 of 3
Prediction: Robert Lewandowski to have 2+ Shots on Target
Odds: 1.80
After the disappointing 2022 World Cup premiere against Mexico from the Polish skipper it is certain now Lewandowski wants to prove his worth on Saturday. He had only one shot on target on a Tuesday afternoon and that was from the penalty kick. But as Lewandowski rarely has two consecutive poor performances I am sure he will create more chances against the Saudis.
There is also a big possibility Poland will play more offensive football with a second striker on the pitch which will definitely create more chances for him. His international record of 76 goals in 135 matches is another reason I believe he’ll put his poor performance against Mexico behind him and may even find the net. Also, in domestic leagues, Lewandowski has scored 13 goals in 13 games for Barcelona and averages 2.15 shots on target per game often against a better defense than the Saudi’s can muster.
Written by an Andy verified content writer
18+ please gamble responsibly.
Haven’t got a Betfair account? You’re in luck…
Sign up to Betfair and get a full refund if your first bet loses. Grab an account through the offer below and place £20 on the 6/1 Poland v Saudi Arabia Bet Builder. Here are the two possible outcomes:
✅
You win £140 cash if it wins
🔄
Or you get your £20 stake back as cash
* I recommend waiting for confirmed team line-ups before placing any bets *
* All odds displayed correct at the time of publishing *
