Poland 1-2 Slovakia: 5 Talking points as Milan Skriniar nets winner against 10-man Poland | UEFA Euro 2020

#3 Robert Lewandowski endures a forgettable outing

Poland vs Slovakia - UEFA Euro 2020: Group E

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.

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#4 Poland kick off the second half with a lighting-fast equaliser

Poland vs Slovakia - UEFA Euro 2020: Group E

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.

45:32 - Karol Linetty's equaliser against Slovakia was the second fastest goal after HT in EC history, after Marcel Coras in 1984 for Romania v Germany (45:21). Lightning. #POL #EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/CuoQug2tgS

— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) June 14, 2021

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.

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#5 Milan Skriniar dazzles at both ends

Poland vs Slovakia - UEFA Euro 2020: Group E

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.

Milan Škriniar is the first player to make 10+ clearances in a single game at #EURO2020 94% pass accuracy69 touches10 clearances5 duels won3 recoveries3 interceptions2 interceptions inside the box2 aerial duels won2 blocks1 goal0 fouls concededMatch-winner. #SVK pic.twitter.com/WxexIhhsXR

— Squawka Football (@Squawka) June 14, 2021

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.

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