San Marino 0-2 Poland: Laboured victory
SERRAVALLE, San Marino, Sept 10 (Reuters) - Poland followed
up Saturday's dismal 1-1 draw against Slovenia with a similarly
lacklustre 2-0 win over San Marino in a World Cup Group Three
qualifier on Wednesday.
The Poles, world ranked 170 places higher than San Marino,
were matched for much of the game by their mostly amateur
opponents who had a penalty saved after three minutes when
Arsenal's Lukasz Fabianski stopped captain Andy Selva's effort.
Striker Euzebiusz Smolarek broke the deadlock, tapping in on
36 minutes and the visitors had to wait until the 67th minute to
double their advantage when Robert Lewandowski marked his debut
with a goal.
"Our initial performance was not up to par but we needed
this win, regardless of style," Poland defender Mariusz Jop told
Polish TVP television.
"This victory gives us hope. Now we have to really improve
our style ahead of qualifying games against the Czechs and
Slovaks."