Mexico vs Poland – World Cup 2022 LIVE: Stream FREE, TV channel – Robert Lewandowski STARTING in huge clash

Mexico 0-0 Poland

7. Now it’s Poland’s turn to get forward on their right.

Kaminski tries to turn a low cross towards Lewandowski in the middle, but sees his pass turned behind for a corner.

Mexico 0-0 Poland

6. Living up to cultural stereotypes, a Mexican Wave has started up inside Stadium 974.

Mexico 0-0 Poland

5. A half-chance for Mexico as Lozano strips away from his marker down the right, and whips a cross towards the far post.

Vega arrives late on to the delivery, and fails to get a telling connection.

Mexico 0-0 Poland

4. Poland get the ball forward for the first time, where Lewandowski challenges for the ball both in the air, and then on the deck.

As soon as the crowd clock who is in the thick of it, the booing starts.

This certainly has the feel of an away game for the Polish tonight.

Mexico 0-0 Poland

2. ‘Mexico can pass the ball very well,’ says Martin Keown, just as Montes sends a 50-yard crossfield ball on to the toes of a teammate.

It’s possibly the first time the former Arsenal man has ever been proved correct on co-commentary.

Kick-off – Mexico vs Poland

1. Australian referee Chris Beath blows his whistle, and it’s Mexico that gets the third game of day three of Qatar 2022 underway.

Incidentally, the fourth official this evening is France’s Stephanie Frappart, the first woman to officiate at a World Cup.

Here come the two teams!

What a noise! A huge roar from the – mainly Mexican – fans inside Stadium 974 greets the players as they make their way out on to the pitch.

And it’s a reaction that’s emphasised by the manner in which the national anthem of Mexico is belted out by players and supporters alike.

The Polish anthem is a much more subdued affair, but sung with just as much passion by Czeslaw Michniewicz’s side – including Aston Villa’s Matty Cash, who was born in Slough.

The formalities are over, and now it’s time for the football.

Poland’s Glik brings up century

Kamil Glik will win a 100th cap this evening when he takes his place at the heart of Poland’s back three.

The 34-year-old centre-back made his international debut in January 2010 against Thailand, scoring 43 minutes into his first appearance.

The Benevento defender has notched five further times for his country in the time since, but can he mark tonight’s major milestone with the most important yet?

Painting a picture by numbers

This evening’s encounter comes live from the Stadium 974 in Doha, but why is the arena so named? Dan King explains:

“The 974 Stadium is undeniably impressive to look at and appreciate – a 40,000-seater arena built with 974 shipping containers (also corresponding to the dialling code for Qatar) that will be fully dismantled after the tournament.

“But one of the most extraodinary sights of this World Cup so far was the queue of Mexican fans to enter more than three hours before kick off.

“It looked like a green tide slowly making its way slowly but unstoppably towards the opening game. A Mexican journalist on my bus reckoned up to 20,000 of his countrymen and women are in Qatar.

“Whatever the actual figure, the Poles are going to be spectacularly outnumbered.

“Yet their team has Robert Lewandowski, the only genuine superstar in either team and his country’s record scorer and appearance maker.

“But Lewa needs to break his World Cup if he is to assume legendary status alongside the likes of 1974 Golden Boot winner Grzegorz Lato, who was part of another third-placed finish for Poland in 1982 with team-mates like Zbigniew Boniek.

“Argentina’s shock defeat makes this game even bigger – a win for either team would be a big step towards making the last 16.”

Poland captain given the bird

Live from Stadium 974, Dan King reports on a frosty reception from the large contingent of Mexican fans for Poland and their superstar striker:

Poland booed heartily on to the pitch. Lewandowski’s name is given the full treatment when mentioned by the stadium announcers.

Dan KingThe Sun

On the Polish bench tonight

12 Skorupski, 22 Grabara, 3 Jedrzejczyk, 4 Wieteska, 5 Bednarek, 6 Bielik, 7 Milik, 8 Szymanski, 11 Grosicki, 16 Swiderski, 17 Zurkowski, 23 Piatek, 24 Frankowski, 25 Gumny, 26 Skoras

Lewandowski leads the Poland line

Poland (3-5-2): 1 Szczesny; 18 Beresynski, 15 Glik, 14 Kiwior; 2 Cash, 13 Kaminski, 10 Krychowiak, 19 Szymanski, 21 Zalewski; 20 Zielinski, 9 Lewandowski

Veteran Guardado among Mexican subs

1 Talavera, 12 Cota, 2 Araujo, 5 Vasquez, 6 Arteagam 7 Romo, 8 Rodriguez, 9 Jimenez, 11 Funes Mori, 14 Gutierrez, 17 Pineda, 18 Guardado, 21 Antuna, 25 Alvarado, 26 Alvarez

Jimenez misses out for Mexico

Mexico (4-3-3): 13 Ochoa; 19 Sanchez, 3 Montes, 15 Moreno, 23 Gallardo; 16 Herrera, 4 Alvarez, 24 Chavez; 22 Lozano, 20 Martin, 10 Vega

Live from Stadium 974

Our man on (in) the ground this evening is Dan King, who has been soaking up the pre-match atmosphere:

Big roar as the Mexican goalkeepers come out to warm up, and the place isn’t even half full yet. Tell you what, when Mexico play Argentina (and effectively Qatar) on Saturday, the atmosphere will be insane.

Dan KingThe Sun

Mexico favourites for three points

There’s not much in the betting, but the bookies just about make Mexico favourites for this Group C encounter. The Central Americans can still be back at odds against, and are expected to comfortably adjust to the conditions compared to their Eastern European counterparts.

• Mexico win 6/4
• Draw 2/1
• Poland win 11/5

Odds from Betfair correct at the time of post publication.

Good day from Doha

Welcome back to World Cup 2022 and live SunSport coverage of the Group C clash between Mexico and Poland.

These two countries would have been expecting this evening’s meeting at Stadium 974 to prove pivotal in deciding which finishes in the runners-up spot behind Argentina.

But La Albiceleste’s stunning 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia earlier today has blown the group wide open.

Now there’s the very real opportunity that both sides could qualify ahead of the South American giants.

Indeed, if Poland were to win here in Doha, and then again on Saturday against the Saudis, then they could seal their place in the knockout stages before even facing Lionel Messi and co.

However, Mexico are no mugs under Gerardo Martino.

The Tricolor have made (and exited) the Last 16 at the previous seven World Cups, and will be confident of doing so again in Qatar.

Of course, the Mexicans will have to find a way to stop Robert Lewandowski, who has yet to find the net for Poland at a World Cup.

The action kicks off at 7pm local time – 4pm in the UK – and team news is on the way.