Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar fired Slovakia to a 2-1 victory over neighbours Poland on Monday of their opening sport at Euro 2020 in Saint Petersburg. An personal purpose from Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny handed Slovakia the lead on 18 minutes, however Karol Linetty equalised for Poland proper initially of the second half. Poland have been lowered to 10 males on the hour when midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak picked up a second yellow card, and Slovakia made their benefit depend as Skriniar drove within the winner at a nook.
Slovakia, who reached the final 16 on their European Championship debut 5 years in the past, play Sweden subsequent in Group E on Friday whereas Poland go to Seville to face Spain the next day.
Poland coach Paulo Sousa opted to start out Robert Lewandowski because the lone striker, along with his attacking choices restricted by accidents that dominated each Arkadiusz Milik and Krzysztof Piatek out of the match.
Marek Hamsik, who led Slovakia on the 2010 World Cup in addition to Euro 2016, earned his record-extending 127th cap for his nation after shaking off a niggling calf damage.
Slovakia began properly as Ondrej Duda’s shot squirmed simply broad, and it wasn’t lengthy earlier than they went in entrance.
Robert Mak danced previous two defenders as he drifted in from the left wing, his low strike taking a slight deflection and smacking the submit earlier than bouncing off the grounded Szczesny and tricking over the road.
Szczesny, who was despatched off within the opening sport of Euro 2012 when Poland have been co-hosts, turned the primary goalkeeper within the competitors’s historical past to be credited with an personal purpose.
Slovakia midfielder Juraj Kucha’s dipping effort from distance dropped narrowly over, and Poland levelled 32 seconds after half-time as Linetty completed off a pointy workforce transfer with a scruffy shot that rolled into the nook.
Promoted
Linetty then stabbed a cross straight at Martin Dubravka, however the dismissal of Krychowiak proved pricey as Skriniar managed a nook and coolly tucked residence to place Slovakia again on prime.
Jan Bednarek prodded broad in stoppage time as Poland pressed in useless for an equaliser, nonetheless but to attain greater than as soon as in 12 European Championship video games.
Matters talked about on this article