Poland 0 Colombia 3: Yerry Mina, Radamel Falcao and Juan Cuadrado strike as Robert Lewandowski and Co crash out of World Cup group stage
Jose Pekerman's side are now one point behind both Japan and Senegal in Group H
FLYING through qualifying and then falling apart in the actual tournament. Sound familiar?
Poland appear to have picked up the nasty habit that has dogged England for years until this summer’s pleasant surprise.
This drubbing, courtesy of goals from Yerry Mina, Radamel Falcao and Juan Cuadrado, means the Eastern Europeans will be on the first flight home when the group stage ends.
Their shellshocked squad will have to face the music just as numerous Three Lions squads have in the last two decades.
Robert Lewandowski could well bear the brunt of any public backlash.
For Wayne Rooney 2006-2014, read Lewandowski 2018.
The Bayern superstar was so prolific in his nation’s qualifying campaign that he average a goal every 56 minutes.
No one, not even Cristiano Ronaldo, bettered his 16-goal haul which helped Adam Nawalka’s side win a group that included Denmark, Montenegro and Romania.
But come the big stage in Russia, when it mattered most, Lewandowski failed to show.
He looked a shadow of the player who has hit the 40-goal mark for his club in each of the last three seasons in the shock opening game defeat to Senegal.
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And the one-time Blackburn target did not fare much better here - not that his team-mates gave him any service.
Colombia, on the other hand, had the creative flair of James Rodriguez and Juan Quintero pulling the strings and it came as no surprise that one or both had a hand in all three goals.
The Kazan Arena is home to Rubin Kazan whose penultimate home game, a 1-1 draw against Rostov in April, brought in just 5,820 fans - little more than a NINTH of its capacity.
But last night the stunning stadium in Russia’s second most beautiful city after St Petersburg was packed to the rafters, with the majority of fans wearing those loud, yellow shirts.
Both sides’ blood was up in the knowledge that for the loser, the tournament was over.
Yet the sticky, steamy conditions of a night game played on the back of a 31-degree day further cranked up the heat.
And when it quickly became clear that Poland were employing rough-house tactics, the Kazan cauldron reached boiling point just minutes into the clash.
Nawalka’s side, rejigged to three at the back after the Senegal defeat with four new faces, took every opportunity to clatter into their counterparts.
At one point Rodriguez lifted up his shirt to check for battle scars, such was the punishment the Poles were dishing out.
Even Lewandowski put in a naughty step on Mina’s hand inside the first few minutes, before claiming it unintentional.
But for all their physicality, Poland were just as toothless as in their opener.
While Colombia, who lost their first game too but in extenuating circumstances given Carlos Sanchez’s third-minute red card, began to dominate.
Colombia boss Jose Pekerman was asked if he felt it was possible for his side to carry both playmakers Rodriguez and Quintero before the game.
The 68-year-old enthusiastically answered ‘yes’ and was proved right when the two magicians combined magically for the opener.
Quintero played a clever reverse pass back to Rodriguez on the right side of the box, allowing the Bayern loanee to chip an inswinging cross into the six-yard area.
The delivery was so good it would have been rude for Barcelona kid Mina not to head home which he duly did, sending a sea of yellow potty.
Lewandowski did show one flash of quality as he exquisitely brought down a long ball on the stretch, but his follow-up shot was saved.
And on 70 minutes the game was up as Quintero brilliantly set away Falcao who finished with the predatory instincts he sadly failed to show in England.
Not to be outdone, Rodriguez then played an even better pass from the left-hand side to play in another Premier League flop in ex-Chelsea man Cuadrado who finished coolly.
Red-hot Colombia are back in business after their Japan slip-up and could well face England in the last 16.
Lewandowski and his pals meanwhile are left with that sinking feeling that our boys know all too well.
