Key events
57 min Zalewski gallops thrillingly away from Veerman on the left, then buys a free-kick from Dumfries. The Poland defence will be glad of the breather, although Zielinski’s free-kick is poor.
57 min Poland, who have spent a lot of time watching and chasing the ball, are starting to look tired. It’s no surprise their manager has already made three substitutions.
56 min “According to Wikipedia (so you know it’s true), ‘Memphis Underground’ was Hunter S. Thompson’s favourite album,” says Joe Pearson. “So there’s that. Admittedly, it is a pretty good upbeat funky jazz album.”
Nice.
55 min: Poland substitutions Bartosz Slisz and Karol Swiderski replace Taras Romanczuk and Kacper Urbanski.
54 min: Chance for Simons! And another one goes by. Netherlands break beautifully, with Depay and Reijnders combining to release Depay. He moves to the edge of the area and plays an angled pass to Simons, who slices a first-time shot wide of the near post. Hit the target!
53 min Moder’s elbow catches Simons in the neck, so there’s a break in play while he receives treatment and waits for the pain to subside.
52 min Reijnders has made some excellent runs from midfield, combining nicely with Gakpo in particular. They’re not top class but I do like this Dutch attacking unit.
50 min “While I agree with Niall Mullen that Poland have disappointed over the last few decades, I feel pretty confident that one day they’ll have a great team,” says Kári Tulinius. “After all, Spain were perennial disappointments until 2008, and then they very much came good.”
While I admire your optimistic outlook, I’m not totally sure about drawing conclusions from a sample size of one.
48 min Reijnders’ 20-yard stinger is blocked by Kiwior, then Depay shoots wide from 30 yards. The Netherlands have made a really fast start to the second half.
46 min An early opening for the Netherlands. A deep, inswinging cross from Gakpo (I think) is headed back into the six-yard box by Dumfries and clawed away desperately by Szczesny.
46 min Poland begin the second half having made a half-time substitution: Brighton’s Jakub Moder is on for Sebastian Szymanski.
“I don’t think it’s news anymore that female commentators are good (well, except to some),” says Charles Antaki, “but a shout-out to Robyn Cowen on the BBC; measured, enthusiastic without being boosterish, gives plenty of space just to watch, with a default setting of pleased appreciation at what’s in front of her. Also low on the swotted-up stuff, which others are addicted to. More please.”
That’s a good point – she has a relaxed confidence that is even more impressive given the everyday prejudice that still exists.
“There is a lovely track by Herbie Mann called Memphis Underground,” says Krishnamoorthy V. “He must have seen into the future to this game in particular.”
He’s such a frustrating player. When he’s good, he’s very, very good, but when he’s bad…
Half-time entertainment
Look at this save from Shaka Hislop.
Half-time reading
Half time: Poland 1-1 Netherlands
All square in Hamburg, but the Netherlands really should be ahead. They’ve played some lovely stuff and had a number of opportunities either side of Cody Gakpo’s equaliser. Adam Buksa had put Poland ahead with a good header from a corner.
45+1 min: Chance for Depay! Ake drives a superb long pass to Depay on the edge of the area. He pulls away from the defender, controls the ball on the chest and drags a shot just wide of the far post.
45 min Incidentally I don’t think Reijnders was booked for dissent in the 15th minute. The referee was waving the yellow card willy nilly but the official Uefa site says Veerman was the only player who was booked.
42 min: Great chance for Gakpo! What a beautiful goal that would have been. The Netherlands probed for ages, right to left to right and back out to the left again. Eventually Simons played in the underlapping Ake, whose precise low cross was stabbed over the bar from eight yards by Gakpo. He should have scored.
41 min Poland have grown into the game and are playing better since the Dutch equaliser than when they were 1-0 ahead. It’s been a really enjoyable first half
39 min “Dumfries was indeed brilliant, but two years ago,” says Andrew Hurley. “Two years ago I was handsome and meeting all manner of beautiful women. Things change!”
Arf. It’s the Pickford Principle, isn’t it? Southgate persisted with him because he’d always played well for England, even when Nick Pope/Aaron Ramsdale/whoever was in better form at club level.
37 min After a nice one-touch move, Dumfries’ low cross is cut out at the near post by Salamon.
36 min This is Poland’s best spell of the game. There are one or two signs of frustrations from the Netherlands, particularly Gakpo, who has had words with the referee on a couple of occasions.
33 min Replays show that Kiwior’s shot also took a slight deflection off Dumfries, which makes it a slightly better save from Verbruggen.
32 min A cross from the left is headed out but not away by Van Dijk. Kiwior chests the ball down and cracks a left-footed shot that is well saved by Verbruggen, getting down smartly to his left.
31 min The Netherlands have played some really smooth, stylish football. Tougher tests to come, I realise.
Gakpo’s shot took a crucial deflection, but you can’t begrudge the Dutch their equaliser. He received Ake’s pass 35 yards out, just left of centre, and ran straight at the heart of a flagging Polish defence. He got to the edge of the D and drove an impatient low shot that hit a defender, Salamon possibly, and wrongfooted Szczesny.
GOAL! Poland 1-1 Netherlands (Gakpo 29)
Cody Gakpo gets a deserved equaliser for the Dutch!
29 min We’ve just seen a replay of Zielinski’s block in the 25th minute, without which Depay would probably have had an open goal. It was superb defending.
28 min “You want disappointment?” says Simon McMahon. “I’ll give you disappointment. I’ll see Niall Mullen’s Poland, and raise him a Scotland. Friday night, opening game of the tournament, we’re gonna do it this time, blah blah blah etc etc. 2-0 down after twenty minutes. Ok, let’s regroup at half time, score next. Nope, let’s get a man sent off instead and concede again just before half time. In the end, relieved it was only 5-1. But the cricket will be different, right? No scars, nothing to lose. Fearless. Set alarm for 4am Sunday morning, see how it’s going. Oh. A ten wicket defeat inside ten overs would have felt better. On Father’s Day too. I haven’t felt this bad since Juan Cayasso scored for Costa Rica against Scotland in 1990.”
Hang on, wasn’t that the day you met Mrs McMahon?
27 min Gakpo’s flat cross is slightly behind Dumfries, who can only head it back across the area. Reijnders gets to it first and his header from a tight angle is well blocked by Bednarek.
27 min As it stands, the Netherlands are battering Poland 0-1.
26 min “Van Dijk is hilarious, always shouting after conceding a goal yet his ego never allows him to ask was it perhaps his fault,” says Andrew Hurley. “Why is Frimpong, one of the best players in his position in Europe last season, on the bench? He’s the only Netherlands player one could claim that about…”
Wasn’t Dumfries brilliant at the last World Cup? I assume that’s the reason, although – who knew – I’m no expert.
25 min Reijnders takes Gakpo’s pass in his stride, surges into the area and slides a low pass that is crucially blocked the sliding Zielinski. It feels like an equaliser is coming.
23 min Depay’s cross-shot, neither one nor t’other, flashes across the face of goal. The Netherlands have played some really slick football, only to lose composure in the penalty area.
22 min: Great chance for Depay! The Dutch really should be level. Simons slips as he controls the ball on the edge of the area but it bounces perfectly for Depay, who leathers it over the bar.
20 min: Good save by Szcezesny! Schouten’s outswinging corner is met sweetly on the volley by Van Dijk, 15 yards out. The ball kicks up off the pitch and is pushed away to his left by Szczesny.