Georgia 0 Poland 4 If the Republic of Ireland have developed a reputation for relying on set-pieces, they'll by meeting their match when Uefa Championship qualifying Group D leaders Poland provide the opposition next time out in March.
Adam Nawalka’s side may have won the game well in the end but, having struggled to reproduce the fluency of earlier qualifiers during the first half, it required a couple of rehearsed set-plays to get the measure of their limited but energised opponents.
To their credit, once the lead was grabbed six minutes after the break, Poland won with considerable ease. Centre-back Kamil Glik found the breakthrough, nodding home after Artur Jedrzejczyk had knocked Sebastian Mila's corner back across the six-yard box.
Georgia were again caught off-guard from a set-piece for the second on 71 minutes; Grzegorz Krychowiak afforded too much room at the back post to steer a free-kick by substitute Maciej Rybus inside the near post.
Mila, one of their scorers in last month’s historic win over Germany, repeated the trick again two minutes later with a splendid curler from 25 yards.
Three turned to four as the game entered stoppage-time, as the imperious Robert Lewandowski rampaged into the box and his deflected shot allowed Arkadiusz Milik an easy tap-in.
“We practiced a lot on our offensive set pieces,” revealed Nawalka afterwards. “We knew that this is an important element, especially when the game goes wrong.
“There were some strong words during the break but we were consistent in our performance. At half-time, we spoke about not leaving anything behind before leaving the pitch at full-time.”
The only item on the lost list by the end was Georgia’s reputation; a fact that will almost certainly result in the pre-match threat of quitting made coach Temur Ketsbaia coming to fruition.
His side had fashioned enough chances in the opening 45 minutes to have the Boris Paichadze Stadium trembling, especially Jaba Kankava’s 22nd- minute sitter he somehow blazed over the crossbar from eight yards.
Poland, too, stretched their hosts. When Lewandowski spread the play wide to Milik on 22 minutes, and with Georgian goalkeeper Giorgi Loria expecting a cross, the Ajax winger spotted a gap and drilled his shot off the upright. Kamil Grosicki was alert on the opposite side to meet the rebound but, again, his attempt from an acute angle clipped the near post.
Grosicki was more accurate on 27 minutes only to see close-range volley brilliantly thwarted by Loria’s one-handed save.
That chance, however, had followed a succession of attacks by Georgia.
Kankava got a clear sight of goal on 22 minutes but miscued under pressure from the retreating Pole Mila while surprise inclusion Levan Mchedlidze was far too hasty moments later in firing over from 30 yards with a couple of team-mates better positioned and unmarked.
Lewandowski had endured a difficult opening half, constantly squabbling with Italian referee Paolo Tagliavento, but came good when it mattered.
Although the Bayern Munich hasn’t scored since the opening stroll over Gibraltar, his workrate attracts particular mention from his manager.
"We tried to exploit the potential of Robert from the start tonight," noted Nawalka. "Many opponents come to him and it makes space for our other players. Even if he doesn't score, he sets up his team-mates to score." GEORGIA: Loria; Lobjanidze, Khubutia, Kverkvelia, Grigalava; Kashia, Daushvili; Ananidze (Okriashvili 58), Kankava, Kobakhidze (Dzakamidze 87); Mchedlidze (Chanturia 67). POLAND: Szczesny; Piszczek, Szukya, Glik, Judrzejczyk; Krychowiak, Miczyiski (Jodlowiec 65); Grosicki (Rybus 68), Mila (Linetty 85), Milik; Lewandowski. Referee: P Tagliavento (ITA).
