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June 30, 2016

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Poland’s rearguard braces for Ronaldo

POLAND has an impressive defensive record at Euro 2016 but standing in its way to a semifinal spot is arguably one of sport’s greatest-ever athletes, Cristiano Ronaldo.

The monstrous Polish center back pairing of Michal Pazdan and Kamil Glik face their toughest challenge yet when they come up against Portugal in the last-eight clash in Marseille today, though their previous matches have not provided much by way of preparation for facing the Real Madrid star.

Describing 29-year-old Ronaldo as the “perfect athlete”, US lifestyle magazine Men’s Health says he hits speeds of more than 32 kph, runs an average of 16 km per match and hits more winners in the last 20 minutes than anyone else. He is the only player to have scored a goal in four Euros going back to 2004 and, while he struggled to find his feet early in this year’s tournament, there are signs that he is back.

He scored twice in Portugal’s last group match against Hungary — an audacious back heel and a towering header — and has had a hand in two of his country’s other three goals, most importantly the shot that set up Ricardo Quaresma to score the easiest of extra-time winners in the last-16 win over Croatia.

For their part, Poland defenders are good shotstoppers.

They have conceded just three goals all year and only one in the Euros, an outrageous bicycle kick by Switzerland’s Xherdan Shaqiri in its last-16 tie which it won on penalties. Only Germany still has a clean sheet in Euro 2016.

Poland’s matches in France so far will have done little to prepare it for the pace, power and superhuman heading ability that Ronaldo possesses, however.

Its top opponent to date, Germany, fielded the diminutive Mario Goetze in their group-stage draw and the ‘false 9’ presented little trouble in the box.

Other group matches against Northern Ireland, which did not get a decent effort on target, and Ukraine, which departed after failing to score in any of its games, were fairly straightforward.

The late Shaqiri wonder goal in their last outing did unsettle the Poles, with Switzerland gaining the upper hand in extra time. But the rearguard held firm, forcing the tie to penalties. That defense will have to be immaculate again if Poland is to have a chance of progressing because it has offered little up front.

It has scored two goals fewer than any other team in the last eight with Robert Lewandowski, the leading scorer in Euro 2016 qualifying with 13 goals, mustering just two attempts on target so far, both in the last match.




 

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