Hungary had topped their group with many great performances, Poland managed to scrape through their group. Was was to take place on the night was anyone’s guess
Poland had the first chance of the game, Grosicki charged down the right wing, to serve up a goal for Lewadownski on a plate. The Bayern striker failed to gobble up the chance, hitting the ball directly at the Hungarian keeper. Almost immediately after they would be left to rue the missed chance as Hungary took the lead. Some sloppy defending by Kedziora seen Szalai add to his impressive scoring tally in the Euro’s. It was one nil to Hungary, and within two minutes that lead was gone.
Immediately Poland went down the other end, seeking retribution. They found that in the form of a Lewadownski equalizer. Another ball from the right, this time provided by Zielenski, allowed the Polish captain to balance out both his earlier miss and the tie itself. The next goal would be crucial for either side in asserting dominance over the game.
Both teams probed, both teams had chances but only one team scored next. Lewadownski this time became the provider as he laid the ball off for Milik, who hit top bins with a sweet left footed strike. Poland did not let up searching for a third before half time with Lewadownski missing a glorious chance to double their lead. Hungary were getting in a lot of bother with the balls coming down the right flank, with their left back Korhut unable to keep the pace.
This proved to be their eventual undoing, failure to address the problems being created down the right allowed Poland to exploit a chink in the Hungarian armour. They did this to great effect when they added a third goal to their scoreline, and a second to Lewadownski’s. A central number nine in every sense of the word normally decided that the right side a his for the taking. Speeding passed Korhu, Lewadownski was a train that could not be stopped, rifling a shot into the other side of the net.
Perhaps fed up with having the focus of Poland’s attack on him, Korhut lashed out taken down a new fresh winger Klich conceding a penalty and receiving a yellow card. In search of his hat-trick Lewadownski stepped up to the plate. After all ready missing one in the game against Spain, he needed this to go in. Gulasci was not about to let that happen, a brilliant saved sent the ball out wide of the pitch and Lewadownski without his hat-trick. The game ended three one not long after.
We are sorry to lose Cian Kelly’s Hungary, a great player throughout. In the earlier rounds his father Paul Kelly was also knocked out with Scotland but it was great to see a father son combo managing at the Euro’s, no doubt a first. Speaking to KCLR after the game the older Kelly said “As sure it was good auld craic. Good job setting it up, we’ll be following it”
