POLAND kick off their Euro 2024 campaign with a challenging fixture against Holland on Sunday.
The two sides are set to meet at Volksparkstadion in Hamburg.
Poland became the final team to qualify for this summer’s tournament after beating Wales in the play-offs.
Meanwhile, Holland booked their spot back in November with a 1-0 win over Ireland.
Both teams have been drawn in Group D, arguably one of the most difficult groups in the competition.
They will also have to face two-time champions France and Ralf Rangnick’s Austria in a bid to qualify for the knockouts.
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Managers Michal Probierz and Ronald Koeman will both be eager to kick off Euro 2024 with a win, with every point sure to be crucial in the group.
However, Probierz has been handed a major setback with captain and top goalscorer Robert Lewandowski set to miss the team’s opening match.
Path to the Euros
Having finished third in Group E qualifying behind Albania and Czech Republic, Poland had to book a spot through the play-offs.
The Eagles defeated Estonia 5-1 in the semi-finals before beating Wales 5-4 on penalties in the final following a 0-0 draw.
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Meanwhile, Holland finished second in Group B with 18 points from eight games to book an automatic qualification spot.
Oranje beat Greece, Ireland and Gibraltar along the way and only struggled against France.
Team News
Captain Lewandowski will not feature for Poland against Holland due to a thigh injury.
The 35-year-old suffered the issue during a warm-up match against Turkey on Monday and was forced off after just 33 minutes.
An official statement from the national team read: “Lewandowski suffered a rupture of the biceps femoris muscle, which will exclude him from the first match of the tournament.”
Defender Pawel Dawidowicz and striker Karol Swiderski are also doubts for Sunday’s match due to injury.
Meanwhile, Frenkie De Jong has been ruled out of the tournament for Holland due to an ankle issue.
Midfielder Teun Koopmeiners will also be absent after suffering a groin injury just minutes before the team’s final warm-up match against Iceland on Monday.
Ones to watch
With Lewandowski out injured, Sebastian Szymanski could be expected to create a spark from midfield.
The 25-year-old scored 13 goals and provided 19 assists in 55 appearances for Fenerbahce this season and reportedly attracted interest from both Manchester United and Tottenham.
As for Holland, Xavi Simons could be a standout star this summer.
The 21-year-old enjoyed an impressive campaign at RB Leipzig on loan from Paris Saint-Germain this season, scoring 10 goals and providing 15 assists in 43 appearances.
If he keeps up the good form, Simons could be in with a shout for Young Player of the Tournament.
Head-to-Head
These two sides have met 19 times in the past, with seven of those occasions ending in a draw.
Poland have won just three times, with Holland taking nine wins.
SunSport prediction
Lewandowski’s injury will be a huge blow to Poland and his absence could dramatically reduce the team’s goalscoring threat.
The Eagles will also be coming up against a very strong defence armed with the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Nathan Ake, Micky van de Ven and Matthijs de Ligt.
Holland’s attack is also strong, so for that reason the Dutch could be in a good position to see out the game with a win.
Prediction: Poland 0-2 Holland
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When is Poland vs Holland?
- Holland’s opening game against Poland will take place on Sunday, June 16.
- The game will kick off at 2pm BST.
- The Volksparkstadion in Hamburg will play host to the big game.
What channel is it and can it be live streamed?
- Poland vs Holland will be shown live on BBC One in the UK.
- You can live stream the action from the BBC iPlayer, which is available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.
Can I watch for FREE?
- Yes, the game is available for FREE on BBC One, so long as you have a TV licence.
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Odds
- Poland – 4/1
- Draw – 3/1
- Holland – 4/6
*Odds courtesy of William Hill and correct at time of publication.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
