Lithuania upset Polish preparations
Tuesday 2 May 2006
e-mail
Print
Digg
Save
Poland's Kamil Kosowski (left) challenges Darius Zutautas of Lithuania (©Getty Images)
Poland 0-1 Lithuania
Poland's preparations for the FIFA World Cup finals suffered a setback as Andrius Gedgaudas's close-range volley early in the first half gave Lithuania a narrow victory in Belchatow.
Opportunist finish
Missing Bayer 04 Leverkusen's Jacek Krzynówek, along with Celtic FC duo Artur Boruc and Maciej Żurawski, from his first-choice lineup, Poland coach Paweł Janas watched his new-look back four concede as early as the 14th minute. Lithuania took a throw-in quickly and midfielder Gedgaudas was perfectly positioned to capitalise on the resulting flick-on by volleying in from eight metres.
Polish pressure
The home side dominated for the rest of the first half and went close with drives from Trabzonspor midfielder Miroslaw Szymkowiak and Sebastian Mila of FK Austria Wien. But the Lithuanians could have doubled their lead when Irmandas Zelmikas found himself unmarked in the Polish penalty area five minutes before the interval only to put his header just over Jerzy Dudek's bar.
Last-ditch Dudek
Liverpool FC's reserve goalkeeper also came to Poland's rescue with a pair of timely interventions on the edge of the box as Lithuania's forwards found a way through the Poles' offside trap at regular intervals in the first half. Three changes at half-time gave the Poles firmer control in the second period without creating many clear-cut openings for strikers Grzegorz Rasiak and Tomasz Frankowski. Poland play host nation Germany, Ecuador and Costa Rica in Group A at the World Cup finals.
©uefa.com 1998-2008. All rights reserved.
