World Cup 2018, Poland vs Colombia: Preview, Team News, Prediction, Head-to-Head & Key Stats

Poland convene Colombia in a must-win encounter for both the teams as Poland and Colombia eye the top 16 finish after a loss in their previous encounters against Senegal and Japan respectively.

Poland will enter the encounter to upset Colombia's sight of top 16 finish. Meanwhile, Colombia will look to pull things back while keeping them in the contention for the top 16 slot.

Team News

Kamil Glik of Poland is expected to field a place in the playing XI after missing Poland's opening encounter against Senegal which lost 1-2.

There are no injury concerns in the Colombian camp. James Rodriguez is expected to get a place in the playing XI after fielding as a substitute in their previous game against Japan which they lost 1-2.

Poland vs Colombia, Group H:

Match Date: 24 June 2018, Sunday

Match Timing: 23:30 IST, 18:00 GMT

Match Venue: Kazan Arena, Kazan, Russia

Expected Crowd Turnout: With a weekend clash on the cards, the Poland vs Colombia encounter is expected to witness a jam-packed crowd as both the teams meet in a must-win encounter. The total crowd turnout is expected to be around 45,100.

Head-to-head in World Cups

Poland 0 - 0 Colombia. Poland will be playing Colombia for the first time in the history of FIFA World Cup.

Poland FIFA 2018 World Cup Squad

Lewandowski will need to turn up big time against Colombia

Goalkeepers: Bartosz Bialkowski (Ipswich Town), Lukasz Fabianski (Swansea City), and Wojciech Szczesny (Juventus).

Defenders: Jan Bednarek (Southampton), Bartosz Bereszynski (UC Sampdoria), Thiago Cionek (SPAL Ferrara), Kamil Glik (AS Monaco), Artur Jedrzejczyk (Legia Warsaw), Michal Pazdan (Legia Warsaw), and Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund).

Midfielders: Jakub Blaszczykowski (VfL Wolfsburg), Jacek Goralski (PFC Ludogorets Razgrad), Maciej Rybus (FC Lokomotiv Moscow), Piotr Zielinski (Napoli), Karol Linetty (UC Sampdoria), Grzegorz Krychowiak (West Bromwich Albion), Kamil Grosicki (Hull City), Slawomir Peszko (Lechia Gdansk), and Rafal Kurzawa (Gornik Zabrze).

Forwards: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich), Arkadiusz Milik (Napoli), Lukasz Teodorczyk (RSC Anderlecht), and Dawid Kownacki (UC Sampdoria).

Probable Starting XI

Wojciech Szczesny, Kamil Glik, Michal Pazdan, Lukasz Piszczek, Maciej Rybus, Jacek Goralski, Grzegorz Krychowiak, Bartosz Bereszyniski, Kamil Grosicki, Piotr Zielinski,and Robert Lewandowski.

Colombia FIFA 2018 WC Squad

James Rodriguez is available to start

Goalkeepers: David Ospina (Arsenal), Camilo Vargas (AC Deportivo Cali), and Jose Fernando Cuadrado (CD Once Caldas).

Defenders: Cristian Zapata (AC Milan), Oscar Murillo (CF Pachuca), Santiago Arias (PSV Eindhoven), Yerry Mina (Barcelona), Johan Mojica (Girona FC), Frank Fabra (CA Boca Juniors), and Davinson Sanchez (Tottenham Hotspur).

Midfielders: Wilmar Barrios (CA Boca Juniors), Carlos Sanchez (RCD Espanyol), Abel Aguilar (AC Deportivo Cali), James Rodriguez (Bayern Munich), Juan Guillermo Cuadrado (Juventus), Mateus Uribe (Club America), Jefferson Lerma (Levante), and Juan Fernando Quintero (CA River Plate).

Forwards: Carlos Bacca (Villarreal), Radamel Falcao Garcia (Monaco), Luis Muriel (Sevilla), Miguel Borja (SE Palmeiras), and Jose Izquierdo (Brighton & Hove Albion).

Probable Starting XI

David Ospina, Santiago Arias, Cristian Zapata, Oscar Murillo, Johan Mojica, Abel Aguilar, Wilmar Barrios, Juan Cuadrado, James Rodriguez, Luis Muriel, and Radamel Falcao.

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Stats to look into ahead of the encounter

This will be the first-ever meeting between Poland and Colombia at FIFA World Cup.

Colombia doesn't relish good record against the European nations. In their last nine encounters against European nations at FIFA World Cup, Colombia have managed to win only two of them.

Poland have come up against South American nations on nine occasions at FIFA World Cup. Out of these nine matches between Poland and South American nations, no match has ever ended in a draw.

Robert Lewandowski of Poland has scored as many as 21 goals in his previous 16 matches for the country.

If Colombia loses against Poland tonight, then it will be the only second time in the history of FIFA World Cup when Colombia lost both of their opening matches in this grand tournament.

Poland vs Colombia: Match Prediction

Predicted score: Poland 1 - 2 Colombia