Thanks for joining our commentary today. Until next time, goodbye.
Both sides are back in action on Saturday. Mexico face Argentina, who will be looking to bounce back after their defeat. Poland will be up against Saudi Arabia after their stunning win over the Albiceleste.
Mexico and Poland play out a goalless draw in their World Cup Group C clash at Stadium 974. Robert Lewandowski missed the best chance of the game as he failed to convert from the penalty spot after being fouled by Hector Moreno. Both teams struggled to create chances in the final third and the draw was the fair result in the end, allowing the two sides to add a point each to their tallies in their first match of the tournament.
90' + 8' FULL-TIME: MEXICO 0-0 POLAND
90' + 7' Antuna has space on the right flank and he cuts inside to open up room for a strike. He has Lozano in support, but goes for goal and fires a tame effort into the hands of Szczesny.
90' + 6' WIDE! Krychowiak advances through the middle of the park and has options. He goes alone with a powerful strike, but his effort just creeps wide of the target. Not a bad attempt.
90' + 5' SAVE! Kaminski collects in the inside-left channel and forces a strike towards the near post that Ochoa holds.
90' + 4' Antuna runs at the Poland defence but then takes a loose touch allowing Glik to make the interception.
90' + 2' Milik collects on the right flank and looks for a cross-field pass towards Frankowski that travels out for a goal-kick.
90' + 1' Mexico win a corner, but the cross into the box from Lozano is cleared with ease by the Poland backline.
90' There will be seven minutes of added time.
89' Lozano raids forward and smashes a strike towards goal that hits Glik in the face, sending the defender straight to the deck.
A. Milik
P. Zieliński
87' Zielinski has had better days on a football pitch. He makes way after a disappointing performance for Milik.
87' Lozano goes for the one-two with Jimenez in the Poland box. He battles with Cash for possession and gives away a free-kick in his bid to win the ball.
86' Lozano probes in the final third and looks to thread the needle to release Jimenez, but his offload is cleared with ease by Glik.
U. Antuna
A. Vega
84' Vega has worked hard today, but has lacked the final product. Antuna replaces him in the final third.
83' Mexico look to threaten on the counter through Vega, but Cash gets back to quell the threat of the forward on the edge of the Poland box.
82' BLOCK! Bereszynski rises highest in the box to head a corner from Zielinski towards the back post. Kiwior connects on the half-volley, but Sanchez makes a good block in the six-yard box.
80' WIDE! Gallardo feeds a pass inside for the run of Vega, who looks to shoot from distance. It is ambitious and the forward can only slice his attempt well wide of the right post.
80' Jimenez tries to find Sanchez on the right flank, but Bereszynski is alert to the threat and steers the ball out of touch for a throw-in.
78' Mexico need to find a second wind here. El Tri have not offered much in the second half and have Ochoa to thank for keeping them level.
P. Frankowski
Yellow Card
76' Frankowski catches Lozano on the boot and goes into the book.
74' Frankowski collects on the left flank from Kaminski's driving run and fires a low ball towards the near post that Moreno has to stretch and divert behind for a corner.
P. Frankowski
S. Szymański
72' Frankowski replaces Szymanski for Poland in the middle of the park.
R. Jiménez
H. Martín
71' Jimenez enters the action for El Tri as he replaces Martin.
C. Rodríguez
H. Herrera
71' Herrera is withdrawn from the Mexico midfield and is replaced by Rodriguez.
69' Chavez curls a dangerous cross into the box from the left flank for El Tri, but it strikes the shoulder of Montes and travels behind for a goal-kick.
67' Mexico keep the pressure on and Vega lines up a strike from distance that he can only angle over the bar.
66' Gallardo raids down the left flank and sends a cutback towards Martin. However, he take a loose first touch and allows Glik to poke it away.
64' SAVE! Szczesny has to react quickly as Martin deflects a strike from Alvarez from distance towards goal. The Poland keeper has to be alert to palm it away from danger.
62' Ochoa has saved the first penalty he has faced at a World Cup in his third appearance at the competition.
60' Vega tries to twist and turn in the box before firing at goal from inside the Poland box, but his effort is charged down by white shirts. The forward is played back into space by Gallardo, only to be caught offside.
G. Ochoa
Penalty Save
58' Penalty Save Francisco Guillermo Ochoa Magaña
R. Lewandowski
Penalty Miss
58' MISS! Lewandowski misses a golden chance to put Poland in front from the penalty spot. He places a poor strike towards the bottom-right corner and Ochoa gets down to make the stop, pushing it away from goal before El Tri scramble away the loose ball.
H. Moreno
Yellow Card
56' Moreno goes into the book for pulling back Lewandowski in the penalty area.
56' PENALTY TO POLAND! Poland are awarded a penalty as VAR and the referee deems that Moreno pulled back Lewandowski in the box as he tried to stretch to reach a loose ball.
55' There is a VAR check as Lewandowski is slightly impeded by Moreno as he reaches for the ball. Moreno has hold of Lewandowski's shirt, which may go against him.
54' Poland apply the high press on the Mexico backline and Kaminski forces a pass through to Lewandowski. He grapples with Moreno for possession and goes down in the box. The referee turns down an appeal for a penalty on the field.
52' SAVE! Lozano cuts in from the left flank and past two challenges. He lines up a drive at goal, but sees his curling strike saved by Szczesny.
51' Lozano twists and turns before he floats ball over the top for Sanchez, but he sees his first-time cross diverted behind by Kiwior.
50' Zielinski wastes the resulting free-kick as he bends his cross straight out for a goal-kick. That was poor to say the least.
49' Sanchez brings down Szymanski down the left flank and hands Poland a free-kick in a useful position. The Mexico full-back has to be careful having already been booked.
46' We're back under way in this Group C clash.
K. Bielik
N. Zalewski
46' Zalewski is withdrawn at the break and is replaced by Bielik. This may require a re-shuffle in the ranks.
Given the Argentina result, this seems like a game that neither wants to lose. It has been reflected in their strategy, although Mexico have offered a lot more in the final third. El Tri will be looking for a moment of magic and that could come from the bench with Raul Jimenez. Gerardo Martino needs a focal point for his team to ease the pressure on Hirving Lozano.
It's goalless at the break between Mexico and Poland in their World Cup Group C clash. Neither side threatened in the opening 45 minutes outside of one late effort from Jorge Sanchez that Wojciech Szczesny turned over the bar. Mexico have seen more of the ball, but have lacked the cutting edge to cut open the Poland defence. The Poles have offered nothing going forward and will need to address that at the interval.
45' + 2' HALF-TIME: MEXICO 0-0 POLAND
45' + 1' Kaminski comes out of the defensive line for Poland at the back to charge down a strike from Chavez before it can reach the penalty area.
45' There will be two minutes of added time.
45' SAVE! Lozano offloads to Martin, who steers a pass into the feet of Sanchez. He forces a strike towards the near post that almost catches Szczesny out, but he turns the ball over the bar.
43' Glik makes an important header at the back to clear for Poland after Sanchez gets to the byline and lifts a dangerous cross into the middle.
41' Lozano gets back to do his defensive duties, halting Szymanski's run with a good sliding challenge.
39' Chavez changes the angle of his delivery and sends a dangerous low cross into the middle. No one can connect in a green shirt before Lozano steers it back into the middle where Szymanski is first to react to clear behind.
37' Gallardo finds space down the left flank and looks for the angled ball behind for Vega. Szczesny is alert to danger and claims the ball comfortably ahead of the forward.
35' There is no spark in the game at the moment, both teams are just lacking a cutting edge in the final third.
33' Vega makes a nice turn in the final third, but his clip over the top of the Poland defence bounces kindly into the hands of Szczesny and away from Martin.
32' Cash wins the ball down the right flank and drives forward. However, he lacks the support and cannot get the ball out towards Lewandowski as Gallardo gets back to win a throw-in.
30' Poland fail to muster a threat from the resulting free-kick. They have been pretty ineffective in the final third so far.
J. Sánchez
Yellow Card
29' Sanchez pulls back Szymanski and goes into the book. It is a harsh call on the Mexico right-back. Poland have a free-kick in a useful position.
28' SCRAMBLE! Chavez clips a ball over the top for Gallardo, but Szczesny does enough to push it away. The rebound almost falls for the Mexico left-back, but Poland get men back to force the ball off the defender and behind for a goal-kick.
26' CLOSE! Vega attacks a looping cross from Herrera from the inside-right channel and guides his header towards the far corner, only to see his effort drift inches wide of the target. Szczesny was scrambling and was relieved to see it travel past the post.
24' Herrera makes a run from deep to latch on to a ball over the top from Gallardo, but it skips off the surface and out for a goal-kick.
22' Szymanski pounces on a loose ball and sends a low offload towards Lewandowski, who loses out to Moreno. He looks for a free-kick on the edge of the box, but the referee is not interested.
20' Sanchez whips a low cross into the box from the right flank that Glik slices into the air. Szczesny makes a good early call and claims the ball with ease.
18' Lozano cuts in from the right flank to feed Martin, who turns the ball around the corner first-time for Sanchez. However, the defender is caught offside in the Poland box.
17' Zalewski wins possession from Sanchez and surges into the Mexico half. He looks for the offload to Lewandowski, but gets far too much power on his pass that the forward cannot bring under control.
14' Poland are trying to settle themselves into a rhythm after a slow start to the contest. They need to get Zielinski and Lewandowski into the game.
12' Moreno rises highest to attack a cross from Gallardo into the box, but he heads his effort over the bar. The defender is offside anyway.
10' Martin has space down the left flank and he angles a cross towards the near post that Szczesny claims with ease.
10' Both players are back on the field and the game can resume.
8' Montes and Glik have a clash of heads in the box from Zielinski's corner on the left flank. Both need treatment before the game can continue.
7' Lewandowski rises to attack the resulting corner, but it deflects off the chest of Sanchez and travels wide of the left post.
6' Lewandowski releases Kaminski into space down the right flank, but Gallardo gets back at the midfielder to prevent him firing at goal, conceding a corner in the process.
5' CHANCE! Kiwior loses possession and allows Lozano to raid down the right flank and fire the ball across the face of goal. Vega attacks the cross at the back post, but can only steer his effort wide.
3' Mexico are getting on the ball in the early stages of the game in an attempt to establish a rhythm.
2' Zielinski catches Chavez with a late challenge and gives away a free-kick on the half-way line.
1' We're under way in this Group C clash.
Mexico and Poland’s only previous World Cup meeting was in the group phase of the 1978 edition. Poland won 3-1.
Poland have made seven changes to their side that beat Chile last time out. Szczesny comes into the side between the posts, while Bereszynski joins Kiwior and Glik in the backline. Cash and Zalewski get the starts in the wing-back positions and Kaminski slots into the midfield. Lewandowski and Zielinski lead the line for the Poles as Milik and Swiderski start on the bench.
Mexico lost 2-1 to Sweden in their final warm-up game before the tournament. From the side that was beaten last time out, Martino drafts in two changes. Alvarez starts in the middle of the park as Rodriguez drops to the bench. Antuna also makes way for El Tri in the final third as Lozano comes into the side.
POLAND SUBS: Lukasz Skorupski, Kamil Grabara,Artur Jedrzejczyk, Mateusz Wieteska, Jan Bednarek, Krystian Bielik, Arkadiusz Milik, Damian Szymanski, Kamil Grosicki, Karol Swiderski, Szymon Zurkowski, Krzysztof Piatek, Przemyslaw Frankowski, Robert Gumny, Michal Skoras.
POLAND (3-5-2): Wojciech Szczesny; Jakub Kiwior, Kamil Glik, Bartosz Bereszynski; Matty Cash, Sebastian Szymanski, Grzegorz Krychowiak, Jakub Kaminski, Nicola Zalewski; Robert Lewandowski, Piotr Zielinski.
MEXICO SUBS: Alfredo Talavera, Rodolfo Cota, Nestor Araujo, Johan Vasquez, Gerardo Arteaga, Luis Romo, Carlos Rodriguez, Raul Jimenez, Rogelio Funes Mori, Erick Gutierrez, Orbelin Pineda, Andres Guardado, Uriel Antuna, Roberto Alvarado, Kevin Alvarez.
MEXICO (4-3-3): Guillermo Ochoa; Jorge Sanchez, Hector Moreno, Cesar Montes, Jesus Gallardo; Luis Chavez, Edson Alvarez, Hector Herrera; Alexis Vega, Henry Martin, Hirving Lozano.
Poland were knocked out in the group stage of the 2018 World Cup after losing two of their three matches. The Poles will have greater ambitions on this occasion, although it will be a challenge given their recent World Cup record. Czesław Michniewicz's men did defeat Wales and Chile in their last two matches before the competition, handing them momentum. Poland too have a huge chance to capitalise on Argentina's defeat, and the clash against Mexico could well define whether they can reach the knockout stage for the first time since 1986.
Mexico have been the model of consistency at their last seven appearances in the World Cup. El Tri have have reached the last 16 of the competition in all seven attempts, but have failed to progress further. Argentina's stunning defeat at the hands of Saudi Arabia has opened up Group C, presenting a huge chance for Gerardo Martino's men to push for top spot. However, Mexico need to get off to a strong start against Poland here.
Hello and welcome to the live commentary of the World Cup Group C clash between Mexico and Poland at Stadium 974.
Commentary