sport news Czeslaw Michniewicz admits his 'heart stopped' as he watched Poland squeeze ... trends now
View
comments
Head coach Czeslaw Michniewicz admitted his 'heart stopped' during Poland's 2-0 defeat to Argentina - a result which saw his side scrape into the last 16 of the World Cup on goal difference.
With Group C on a knife edge heading into the final round of fixtures, Mexico conceded a last-gasp goal in a 2-1 victory over Saudi Arabia, sending Poland through after it had seemed for much of the second half that they would advance purely on fair play rules.
Second-half goals from Premier League duo Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez ensured Argentina progressed as group winners after Lionel Messi saw a controversial penalty saved by Wojciech Szczesny.
Czeslaw Michniewicz says his 'heart stopped' as Poland clung on to their World Cup place
Poland will face reigning champions France in the last 16, while Argentina come up against Australia.
Perhaps fittingly in the closing stages of the fixture at Stadium 974, everyone was number-crunching as Poland's better fair play ranking had them squeaking through at Mexico's expense - progressing by virtue of picking up three fewer bookings in the wake of Alvarez's strike.
Grzegorz Krychowiak's yellow card with 12 minutes remaining
