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| Poland head coach Franciszek Smuda (L) observes Marcin Kaminski during a training session at Polonia Warszawa Stadium in Warsaw yesterday |
Poland coach Franciszek Smuda is counting on a mix of strong defence and fluid counter-attacking in their final Group A match today against a Czech team who will be wary about not falling for the same trick twice at Euro 2012.
Poland’s glory days in the 1970s and 1980s were based on that style of play and it was the model Smuda’s men adopted in an exhilarating second-half performance against Russia which earned the co-hosts a 1-1 draw.
Smuda plans to stick to his guns even though the Czechs may not take the bait after showing against Greece they were content to sit back following a stunning 4-1 loss to Russia who soaked up early pressure before launching devastating counter-strikes.
“We do not need to (be more attacking),” Smuda said. “The Italians only defend and they seem to able to win as well. Why shouldn’t we?”
Russia top the group with four points after a 1-1 draw with Poland ahead of the Czech Republic on three, Poland with two and Greece one.
An exhilarating comeback against the Russians has buoyed one of the tournament hosts to believe Smuda’s squad are capable of doing what no other Polish side has done before - win a game at a European Championship.
“We know that the Czechs can make do with a draw,” striker Robert Lewandowski said. “We need to win. We can say that we are getting better and better with each game and we hope the third time is a treat.”
Poland are also struggling with injury worries but not as severe as the Czechs, who are sweating over the fitness of captain and playmaker Tomas Rosicky.
The playmaker, whose creativity and passing skills fuel the Czech attack, injured his Achilles in the 2-1 win over Greece and said he could barely stand on Wednesday.
Team officials said Rosicky’s fitness was improving but he is still doubtful for today. The team received better news on Petr Cech’s sore shoulder when the goalkeeper said he would be ready to play.
“I will be fine,” Cech said on Thursday. “The only question mark is about Rosicky.”
The Czechs, who will also have thousands of their own fans at the stadium less than an hour’s drive from the border, also need to find a way to keep up pressure for a full 90 minutes.
Against Russia, the Czechs had the early run of play until the Russians took over and after a stunning first six minutes against Greece that brought them two goals the Czechs had a nervy ride in hanging on for a 2-1 win.
Meanwhile, Poland midfielder Dariusz Dudka hopes to be back fighting fit for the clash with the Czech Republic today.
“I’m feeling much better now,” said Dudka, who suffered a recurrence of a recent cartilage and muscle strain during Tuesday’s hard-fought match against old rivals Russia where the Poles fought back to level the score to 1-1.
“I’m planning to be at tonight’s (Friday) training session. I don’t know if I’ll still need a pain-relief injection. But I want to play in the match with the Czech Republic,” he told the Polish news agency PAP in Warsaw as the team left for the southwestern city of Wroclaw.
The 28-year-old, who plays for French club Auxerre, was on the bench for Poland’s Euro 2012 opening 1-1 draw against Greece last Friday.
Poland coach Franciszek Smuda named Dudka in the starting line-up against Russia, deploying him as a defensive midfielder in order to move Lech Poznan’s Rafal Murawski into an attacking position.
Dudka was taken off in the 73rd minute.
“I picked up this injury two months ago with Auxerre, but I returned to play quickly,” said the player, who strained an adductor muscle in his left leg and inflamed the cartilage in his pelvis.
“It came back during the Russia match. I felt a stabbing pain and knew it was the same thing. The problem is that when you’re fighting for the ball, you move your hips in an uneven manner.”
With 64 appearances since his 2004 debut, Dudka is the most-capped player in Poland’s largely young team.
He signed for Auxerre in 2008 from top-flight Polish club Wisla Krakow, but is planning to move on as they have just been relegated to the second division.
“After four years, I’ll be leaving Auxerre, and probably France. I’d like to try my hand in the Bundesliga,” Dudka said, referring to the German top flight where many of his big name Poland team-mates are based.
“But I don’t want to discuss any transfer issues until Euro 2012 is over.”
Hairy Czechs hope to make cut
Czech players are refusing to shave during Euro 2012 in the hope that it will bring them luck, a source close to the team told AFP yesterday, as Michal Bilek’s men gear up for a must-win match against Poland.
The team of 11 increasingly hairy Czechs beat Greece 2-1 on Tuesday, keeping their hopes of advancing to the quarter-finals alive, despite a not-so-lucky 4-1 defeat to Russia in their opening match.
The Czechs play their final Group A clash today against co-hosts Poland in Wroclaw, southwest Poland.
Reserve goalkeepers Jaroslav Drobny and Jan Lastuvka came up with the idea of eschewing razors in the run-up to the competition. While players unanimously supported the idea to down razors, the idea has apparently met with stiff opposition—from their wives and girlfriends.