England’s perfect record in World Cup qualifying vanished on Wednesday after they conceded a stoppage-time equalizer in Poland, while Italy, Germany, Spain and Belgium all won to build big leads in their groups on the road to Qatar.
Harry Kane’s 41st goal for England — a 30m pile driver — was canceled out when Robert Lewandowski crossed for Damian Szymanski to head home in the second minute of stoppage-time in a 1-1 draw in Warsaw.
England’s five-match winning run in qualifying ended, leaving Denmark as the only nation with a 100 percent record so far.
Photo: Reuters
Still, England hold a four-point lead with four games remaining and should have no problem getting to next year’s FIFA World Cup.
Italy are in a similar situation after dispatching Lithuania in a 5-0 win to open up a six-point lead in Group C.
The recently crowned European champions extended their record unbeaten run to 37 games.
Photo: AFP
Switzerland are still in range in second place, despite a 0-0 draw against Northern Ireland, because they have two games in hand over Italy.
No country has a bigger lead than Belgium, who won 1-0 in Belarus to move nine points clear and to the brink of securing first place in Group E, with the other result in the group a goalless draw between Wales and Estonia.
Spain’s lead is smaller — four points over Sweden — in Group B.
Photo: Reuters
While Sweden lost 2-1 against Greece, Spain won 2-0 over Kosovo, although they have played two more games than their closest rivals.
In Group J, Germany beat Iceland 4-0 away and extended their lead to four points over Armenia, while Liechtenstein drew 1-1 against Armenia, and North Macedonia and Romania played to a goalless draw.
Kane and Lewandowski, two of the world’s top strikers, both delivered in the draw between England and Poland.
Kane scored perhaps his best goal for England when he collected the ball in space in a central area before taking another touch and smashing a swerving shot into the bottom corner.
He moved into fifth place on England’s all-time list, 12 goals behind No. 1 Wayne Rooney’s 53.
Lewandowski failed to score in a match for the first time this season, but he did play a major role in Szymanski’s first goal for Poland.
“A kick in the teeth at the end there,” Kane said. “It’s never easy conceding in the last minute. It was a good performance from the boys, though, we controlled the game well.”
The match was played in quite a hostile atmosphere in the National Stadium in Warsaw, with the Poland team as fired up as their fans.
At the end of the first half, Poland defender Kamil Glik appeared to pinch the throat of England defender Kyle Walker, sparking a melee between both groups of players. Glik and England defender Harry Maguire were booked and Kane said the matter had been “reported” to Football Association officials.
England’s lead in Group I was trimmed to four points because Albania beat San Marino 5-0 to move into second, a point above Poland.
Hungary beat Andorra 2-1 and are in fourth place, a point behind Poland.
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