Home Football Poland received COLD WATER in the final minutes of the match from the hero on the Dutch bench, on the day their NO.1 star Robert Lewandowski could not play.

Poland received COLD WATER in the final minutes of the match from the hero on the Dutch bench, on the day their NO.1 star Robert Lewandowski could not play.

Football — 06/16/2024

WOUT WEGHORST rose from the bench to fire Holland to victory over Poland in Hamburg.

The former Manchester United loanee was called upon ten minutes from time, replacing Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo.

Wout Weghorst fires his side into a late lead

7Wout Weghorst fires his side into a late leadCredit: AP

Weghorst, 31, celebrates his crucial winner

7Weghorst, 31, celebrates his crucial winnerCredit: Getty

With his first touch, Weghorst pounced to fire home Nathan Ake’s through ball.

Poland had taken a surprise lead on 16 minutes when Adam Buksa nodded in Piotr Zielinski’s corner.

Forgetting his injury, Robert Lewandowski couldn’t help but passionately celebrate his side’s opener.

The Barcelona forward, 35, leapt off the bench despite nursing a thigh injury.

Poland’s lead would last just 13 minutes.

Gakpo received a slice of fortune, when his shot from the edge of the box deflected beyond Wojciech Szcszesny on the half hour.

Ronald Koeman’s side subsequently pushed for a winner, and finally got one via super-sub Weghorst.

The lanky forward was quick to pounce on Ake’s smart through ball, firing it into the back of the net with his left foot.

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Koeman quickly took measures to try to preserve his side’s lead, throwing on Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven for the closing stages.

Five minutes were added on at the end of the 90 minutes, with the Dutch looking to hang on.

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Poland came closest to levelling through Nicola Zalewski’s whose ambitious 95th minute strike from range strung the palms of Brighton stopper Bart Verbruggen.

The final whistle sounded moments later, with the Dutch earning a valuable 2-1 victory to open their Euro 2024 campaign.

Match Stats

Adam Buksa heads Poland into the lead

7Adam Buksa heads Poland into the leadCredit: AFP

Buksa celebrates his pinpoint header

7Buksa celebrates his pinpoint headerCredit: Reuters

Cody Gakpo lets fly from the edge of the box

7Cody Gakpo lets fly from the edge of the boxCredit: Getty

Gakpo is congratulated by his team-mates

7Gakpo is congratulated by his team-matesCredit: AFP

Robert Lewandowski was stuck on the bench

7Robert Lewandowski was stuck on the benchCredit: Getty