Poland vs Saudi Arabia– Preview, H2H, Line-ups, Odds, Prediction, Live Stream | 2022 FIFA World Cup 

Robert Lewandowski and Karol Swiderski of Poland against Spain
Robert Lewandowski and Karol Swiderski of Poland against Spain/IMAGO

Saudi Arabia will look to cause another World Cup upset this Saturday when they face Poland at the Education City Stadium.

Venue: Education City Stadium (Al Rayyan) 

Key Statistics

Poland have never recorded a score draw in the World Cup proper (W16, D6, L11).

They have kept three clean sheets in their last three games.

Saudi Arabia have failed to score in 5 of their last 8 games.

Saudi Arabia have lost just one of their last nine games (W3, D5), they will be a confident side after beating Lionel Messi’s Argentina.

They have conceded more than one goal per game in their last 13 games.

Saudi Arabia are the first team post-war to beat Argentina after a half-time deficit in the World Cup finals.

Head to head

Both sides have met only once, in a friendly game in 2006. Poland won the game 2-1. 

Latest performances in all competitions

Poland: D-W-W-L-L

Saudi Arabia: W-L-D-W-D

Poland

Poland will look to put the disappointments of their opening game behind them when they take on Argentina slayers Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

The Poles were held to a goalless draw by Mexico in their tournament opener on Tuesday, with star striker Robert Lewandowski seeing a penalty saved by legendary Mexico keeper Guillermo Ochoa.

That penalty miss denied Poland the chance to win their opener in the competition for the first time in over 48 years. They are now in danger of emulating the Poland teams of 2002 and 2006, which started with successive blanks and added further to a 36-year wait for progression from the group stage.

With Group C favourites and two-time world champions Argentina still awaiting them in the last group stage game, they must win this game to stand a chance. With their failure to bounce back in the second match of ‘Russia 2018’ ultimately Poland’s undoing four years ago, they will wish for a better result here to allow them to go to the next game with their chances of progressing intact.

Possible Poland starting line-up

Wojciech Szczesny, Matty Cash, Kamil Glik, Jakub Kiwior, Bartosz Bereszynski, Grzegorz Krychowiak, Jakub Kaminski, Piotr Zielinski, Sebastian Szymański, Nicola Zalewski, Robert Lewandowski.

Injured: None 

Doubtful: None 

Suspended: None

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia registered one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history on Tuesday when they stunned tournament favourites Argentina last Tuesday.

The Middle-Eastern side fought back from a goal down to win thanks to two goals by Saleh Al Shehri and Salem Al Dawsari early in the second half after falling behind to Lionel Messi‘s penalty.

Although the win required a brave rearguard action to weather late Argentina pressure, Saudi Arabia will feel proud of their achievement and will also be full of confidence going into this tie.

Having started on a fantastic note, Hervé Renard will now want his boys to replicate that result and make the last 16 for just the second time in their history. 

The Green Falcons did so on their competition debut in 1994, which also saw a 1-0 victory over Belgium in Washington – still the nation’s only success at the finals against a European outfit.

Possible Saudi Arabia starting line-up

Mohammed Al-Owais, Saud Abdulhamid, Ali Al-Bulayhi, Hassan Tambakti, Mohammed Al-Burayk, Abdulelah Al-Malki, Firas Al-Buraikan, Nawaf Al-Abed, Mohamed Kanno, Salem Al-Dawsari, Saleh Al-Shehri.

Injured: Yasser Al Shahrani, Riad Sharahili

Doubtful: None 

Suspended: None

Odds

 Poland to winDrawSaudi Arabia to win
Odds1.753.604.75
Probability (%) 542620

Prediction

Poland 1-3 Saudi Arabia 

Live Stream

For details, FIFA Qatar World Cup 2022 – TV Broadcast / Live Stream