FIFA World Cup Group G - Poland vs Colombia

The weekend comes to an end with another set of highly competitive fixtures. After Saturday presented us with a plethora of Goals from traditional European sides, Sunday has the possibility of duplicating that same type of excitement.

The 'Three Lions' get the match day started in Russia as they take to the pitch with CONCACAF representatives Panama, who are coming off a humbling result to a high powered Belgium team their last time out. 

Fellow Group G sides Senegal and Japan clash for a right to top the table, with each nation grabbing upset wins in their initial World Cup fixtures, now the scene is set for these two dark-horse teams to rise to the occasion and represent their Countries on the highest International stage.

62022 Poland vs 62023 Colombia

Kazan Arena, Kazan, Russia 

6-24-2018 - 2:00 pm ET 

The premier match on Sunday's card has a tremendous amount of ramification's for each team involved. After both group favorites, Colombia and Poland, dropped their opening fixtures, the pressure to grab a positive result and re-institute themselves as true contenders to advance is at an all-time high.

Poland were stunned by many during their first match in Group play, after underestimating a supremely gifted Senegal side, the Eagles were disposed of by a score-line of 1-2 to start their World Cup journey.

Adam Nawałka was forced to make a change is his tactical formation after the injury to his central defender Kamil Glik ahead of their trip to Russia. Poland were forced into a 3-4-3 alignment against the Senegalese. 

Nawalka could get a boost of confidence heading into this must win situation, with Glik's status being updated to a possible inclusion, the Eagles could be back to full strength heading into their encounter with this dangerous South American side. 

The Polish premier danger man, Robert Lewandoski, was kept off the score-board to start his first World Cup experience after netting 16 goals during European Qualifiers.

The Bayern Munich center forward is now under even more pressure to respond, and help his country from flaming out after a twelve year wait to return to FIFA's top competition.

The remaining Polish front-line players will get their own opportunities to succeed, with Lewandowski attracting the primary focus on the defensive side of the pitch. Piotr Zielinski, Kamil Grosicki and Dawid Kownacki will carry many of the burdens to help lift their talented tally's man, and carry their nation to a positive result.

Jan Bednarek, Thiago Cionek, Michal Pazdan and defensive midfielders Lukasz Piszczek and Maciej Rybus will all play crucial roles going into Sunday's fixture if the Eagles top defender is able to go, these specific players would be asked to have more attention to detail while defending their Colombian counter-parts, as the Polish back-line know that they will surely be tested from this desperate CONMEBOL side.

Wojciech Szczesny was placed in charge of the goal keeping responsibilities against Senegal, the Juventus man now looks to get his second stint in between the sticks for his home country. Szczesny could be potentially be the most important player on the pitch for the Poland national team, as he will certainly be tested and called upon to make crucial saves, in order to keep his nations World Cup hopes alive.

Colombia were placed in a state of shock within the first three minutes of their match with Japan, after Carlos Sánchez picked up a red card from a deliberate handball, 'Los Cafeteros' were placed in a difficult position of having to play with ten men for the remainder of the match.

José Pékerman is finding his second trip to a World Cup event with the Colombians a more daunting task, after flying through the Group Stages in Brazil 2014, Pékerman must now erase his match day one memories, and focus solely on the task at hand, heading into their final match with Group G upstarts Senegal.

La Tricolor are scheduled to field one of their more potent starting elevens, with creative midfielder James Rodriguez scheduled to get the start after coming off the bench due to a lingering calf injury.
James is the true inspiration for the Colombian attack, given more freedom within the national teams 4-2-3-1 formation, the Bayern Munich play-maker brings both a willingness to set-up others with his precise left foot, while also showing no mercy to opposing goal-keepers when placed in charge of finishing the final product.

The Colombia front-line was also bolstered this Summer by the addition of Radamel Falcao who is making his first World Cup appearance at the age of 32, after missing the 2014 event with injury, the Monaco striker is still waiting to make his mark while on Russian soil.

Falcao is a feared trigger man within the European landscape, his world class finishing skills make him a true weapon for this Colombian attack.

Juan Quintero and Juan Cuadrado round out the midfield partnership, this duo are full of class themselves and offer their own match-up nightmares. Quintero and Cuadrado are able to break defenses down with elegant dribbling techniques, while also incorporating an array of passing and finishing skills that make them one of the more dangerous combinations in this tournament.

David Ospina was unable to keep a clean-sheet for the Colombians, after being left vulnerable to a penalty kick to open the match, the Arsenal man was then victimized on a set piece situation from the Blue Samurai. Now with one of the more threatening goal scorers in the world baring down on him, he must be prepared for this professional Polish attack.

Prediction:

The final match of the day presents us with two sides who have never meet in International competitions, with world class players littered through-out the pitch, we are certain to enjoy this high-profile Group G showcase.

Both clubs enjoy playing an aggressive brand of football, looking to push the pace and test their opposition's back line, this plan of attack should not change when these two group favorites finally meet up in Kazan.

Expect a frantic pace as both teams realize the importance of collecting all three points, after allowing both Japan and Senegal to take a share of the lead, the pressure will be immense to turn their fates around heading into the final match day.

Poland vs Colombia - Premium Tips

*Premium World Cup Tips  6-0-1