Senegal beat Portugal 2-1 on Tuesday to become the first African side to win a match at the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Grzegorz Krychowiak’s header was not enough for Poland as Idrissa Gueye’s deflected shot and M’Baye Niang’s goal granted Senegal a 2-1 win.
Sadio Mane found enough space to pass the ball to Gueye, who unleashed a shot from outside the box only to hit centre-back Thiago Cionek and embrace the net in Senegal’s first goal.
It was a balanced tie between the two sides in the first half, as the two teams offered stiff defence at the back and created from either side, very few chances.
The Lions of Teranga kept swapping the front four players in different positions inviting the Polish defence to assume nothing.
In second half, Poland were awarded a free-kick close to the box, yet Robert Lewandowski’s curling effort found the perfect save from 33-year-old Khadim N’Diaye.
Later on, a long back pass from Krychowiak was met by a flying M’Baye Niang before Jan Bednarek or Wojciech Szczesny could reach the ball, in a huge error from the defender and the goalkeeper as they gifted the Senegalese forward the second goal.
Arkadiusz Milik missed a sitter from the six-yard box and his substitute, Dawid Kownacki had his header saved before Krychowiak reduced the deficit by his header, but it wasn’t enough to stop Senegal from the triumph.