Poland cruise past Kazakhstan

Poland took the opportunity to experiment as they earned a 3-0 friendly win against Kazakhstan.

Home comfort
Pawel Janas' side won at a canter on an unusually hot night in Poznan in their first ever match against UEFA's newest member nation. They were ahead within two minutes of the kick-off as Tomasz Klos' cross from the right was miscued into the path of Artur Wichniarek by Kazakh defender Renat Abdulin, allowing the striker to score from close range.

New formation
Playing in an unfamiliar 3-5-2 formation, Poland allowed their visitors plenty of possession in the first half and they experimented after the interval, reverting to a 4-4-2 but making eight substitutions.

Fine strike
The revitalised team doubled the lead on 53 minutes with the best attacking move of the game, as Marcin Zajac put in a low cross from the right which Tomasz Dawidowski thumped into the net off the angle of the crossbar.

Good performances
FC Karpaty Lviv goalkeeper Maciej Nalepa made his first appearance on his third call-up while young KS Amica Wronki midfield player Marcin Burkhardt, drafted in from the Under-21 team, put in an excellent performance. The scoring was completed in the 82nd minute after Marcin Kuzba was fouled in the Kazakhstan area giving Jacek Krzynówek the simple task of finishing from the penalty spot.

Sweden game
Poland face Sweden next in a UEFA EURO 2004™ Group 4 qualifier on Wednesday. They sit second in the group at present, two points above Sweden. Asked whether supporters had reason to be calm going into that game, Janas said: "I would like to be calm myself."