Karol Swiderski scored a goal in each half as Poland registered a second win in Group G of the European Qualifiers leading to the FIFA World Cup 2026, beating Malta 2-0 in front of 45,872 spectators at the PGE Narodowy in Warsaw on Monday.
Poland were eager to impress after the narrow win over Lithuania and they tried hard to score more goals but the Maltese rear-guard, led by an excellent Henry Bonello in goal denied them on various occasions.
On the other hand for Malta this was the second defeat in as many matches. The team once again showed determination but this was not enough to spare defeat. Unfortunately for the second consecutive week, Malta ended in ten men after having a player sent off.
Malta had one change from the team which lost to Finland as Enrico Pepe replaced the suspended Kurt Shaw.
photos courtesy of Andre Farrugia
As expected, Poland went in search of an early goal and after three minutes, Kaminski concluded a good move in which he rounded a number of players by hitting wide with a diagonal shot from the left. Malta replied with a fine run by Ilyas Chouaref which was turned into a corner by Skorupski on 6 minutes.
On 13 minutes, Bogusz entered the area from the left but his angled shot was blocked by Bonello. Four minutes later, off a freekick by Szymański from the right, Bednarek’s header was saved by Bonello. A swift counter attack led by Kaminski.
Poland managed to take the lead on 27 minutes. Piatek provided the assist from the right and Karol Swiderski slotted the ball past Bonello.
Malta replied with a cross shot by Choauref on the half hour which was parried by Skorupiski. Three minutes later, Teuma released Chouaref on the left and the latter pulled to a more central position, hitting just wide from outside the area. A Carragher effort from outside the area was partially saved by the Poland goalkeeper on 37 minutes with the ball cleared into a safety by a defender. A minute later, Szymanski had a shot from outside the area ending just wide.
Two minutes from the end of the end of the first half, bonello managed to deflect a Bogusz edfort and one minute later, Kiwior had a shot at point blank blocked by Bonello.
In added time, Chouaref released Joseph Mbong on the right but his attempt was blocked by Kiwior.
Six minutes in the second half, Poland doubled the score courtesy of Karol Swiderski who managed to slot the ball past Bonello with a shot from just outside the area.
Kaminski tried his luck with a curling shot from the left on 64 minutes but his attempt ended off target. Seven minutes later, Bonello blocked a close range effort by Swiderski off a freekick from the left by Szymanski. The malta goalkeeper came to the resuce once again on 78 minutes turning into a corner a d shot from inside the area by Kaminski, served by Swiderski. Substitute Robert Lewandowski went close with a freekick from the left ten minutes from time. Malta replied with a shot by Chouaref from outside the area.
One minute in added time, Malta ended in ten men as Ilyas Chouaref, who had already picked a yellow card a few minutes earlier, was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Wieteska. This means that coach Emilio De Leo could not count on Chouaref at least for the next game at home against Lithuania on June 7.
POLAND Łukasz Skorupski, Jan Bendarek (46” Mateusz Wieteska), Jakub Moder, Sebastian Szymanski, Karol Swiderski, Jakub Kaminski (87’ Bartosz Bereszyński, Jakub Kiwior, Kamil Piatowski, Przemyslaw Frankowski (65’ Matty Cash), Mateusz Bogusz (46’ Bartosz Slisz), Krzysztof Piatek (65’ Robert Lewandowski).
MALTA Henry Bonello, Ryan Camenzuli, James Carragher, Matthew Guillaumier, Joseph Mbong (66’ Adam Magri Overend), Ilyas Chouaref, Teddy Teuma, Enrico Pepe (83’ Jean Borg), Paul Mbong (46’ Kyrian Nwoko), Zach Muscat (58’ Carlo Zammit Lonardelli), Alex Satariano (58’ Basil Tuma).
Referee: Morten Krogh DEN
Assistant referees: D. Wollenberg Rasmussen, Steffen Bramsen DEN
Fourth official: Jacob Karlsen DEN
Video Assistant Referee: Jakob Kehlet DEN
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Sandi Putros DEN