'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Poland fell to a shock 1-2 defeat to Slovakia in their UEFA Euro 2020 opener at the Krestovsky Stadium in St. Petersburg.
Poland went a goal down in the 16th minute, courtesy an own goal from their goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny but Karol Linetty equalised seconds after the break. However, Milan Skriniar drilled a shot into the bottom corner to restore Slovakia's lead in the 69th minute. Grzegorz Krychowiak's subsequent dismissal then compounded Poland's miseries as they slumped to a disappointing defeat on the night.
Slovakia managed to win despite having less possession, fewer shots on target and fewer set-pieces than Poland on the night. The Slovaks only had two shots on target, but they were highly clinical with their chances.
Meanwhile, Poland's star striker Robert Lewandowski endured a frustrating outing. Poland conjured a few late chances, but poor finishing let them down as Slovakia hung on to a well-deserved win.
Also Read: Fabrizio Romano's Transfer Roundup: Update on Manchester United's pursuit of Jadon Sancho, Chelsea's plans for Hakimi, and more.
On that note, let's take a look at the five talking points from the game.
#1 Wojciech Szczesny becomes the first goalkeeper in Euro history to score an own goal
Wojciech Szczesny was beaten by Slovakia's Robert Mak in the 18th minute of the game when the 30-year-old fired a shot between two Poland defenders. While the shot bounced off the woodwork, unluckily for the Juventus goalkeeper, the ball hit him and went into the back of the net to give Slovakia an early lead.
That made the Poland custodian the first goalkeeper to score an own goal at the Euros.
Interestingly, there have been two own goals at the tournament so far, and both have been scored by Juventus players, with Merih Demiral netting the first.
#2 Poland gets the first red card at Euro 2020
The game saw an own goal from a goalkeeper, but there was another twist awaiting Poland. In the second half, the Poles became the first team to have a player sent off at Euro 2020.
Grzegorz Krychowiak was booked in the 22nd minute. Krychowiak continued to live a charmed life, but one foul too many meant Ovidiu Hategan showed him a second yellow.
The dismissal of a key player threw Poland off their hinges, and they conceded within seven minutes of Grzegorz Krychowiak's exit in the second half.
Also Read: Strongest possible starting XI for England | UEFA Euro 2020.
#3 Robert Lewandowski endures a forgettable outing
Prolific Poland and Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski drew a rare blank against Slovakia. He was coming off a record-breaking 41-goal Bundesliga campaign, but against Slovakia, he not get a chance to show his predatory instincts.
The striker was starved for service and looked largely isolated in the final third. He was forced even deeper into Poland's half after Krychowiak's dismissal. Unfortunately, Poland do not have a Thomas Muller-esque player, which hindered Lewandowski's efficacy up front.
While Piotr Zielinski did his best to pull the strings in the middle of the park, Lewandowski received very few balls in the Slovakia box and failed to score on the night.
#4 Poland kick off the second half with a lighting-fast equaliser
On paper, Poland looked like the better side. Even when they trailed at half-time, they had the better stats, and it looked only a matter of time before they would equalise.
They did not have to wait long to restore parity, as Karol Linetty found the back of the net only 32 seconds after the restart. It was a well-worked move from Poland, with Lewandowski and Klich combining seamlessly to release Maciej Rybus, who teed up Linetty.
It was the second-quickest goal after half-time in the history of the European Championship. Despite a bright start to the second half, Poland could not keep up their momentum and received a jolt when Krychowiak saw red.
#5 Milan Skriniar dazzles at both ends
Slovakia bagged all three points from the game despite being the second-best side from a statistical perspective. That was because Milan Skriniar produced a fabulous outing at both ends of the field.
Seven minutes after Poland were reduced to ten men, the Inter Milan centre-back produced a predatory finish to put Slovakia ahead, a lead they never relinquished. The 26-year-old also shone at the other end, becoming the first player to make over ten clearances in a game at Euro 2020.
The Slovakian registered an impressive pass accuracy of 94%, won five duels, made three interceptions. He also made two blocks and committed no fouls in a Man of the Match performance to help Slovakia floor Poland.
Also Read: 5 top players who could miss Euro 2021 due to injuries
