Ajax striker Arkadiusz Milik struck in injury-time to round off an excellent night’s work for Poland in Georgia on Friday evening.
- By David Lee Wheatley
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Despite dominating possession in the first half, Poland were made to wait by a stubborn Georgian defence until the 51st minute when a Kamil Glik header provided the breakthrough.
Both sides came close to scoring in the opening period, but the hosts were wasteful on a number of occasions when flashing numerous shots high and wide.
The visitors, meanwhile, struck the woodwork twice in quick succession during the first 45 minutes with 20-year-old Milik one of the unfortunate players to see their shot cannon off the woodwork.
Yet the group leaders were not to be denied, as two strikes in three minutes from Grzegorz Krychowiak and Sebastian Mila, after a lovely set-up by Bayern star Robert Lewandowski, put the game out of Georgia’s reach by the 73rd minute of proceedings.
The crossbar came to Georgia’s rescue again when Solomon Kvirkvelia’s headed effort bounced off Ajax forward Milik on to the framework of the goal with moments remaining.
Determined to finally get his name up in lights, the ever-dangerous Milik finally plundered a deserved goal to round matters off when he hit the ball low and hard beyond the goalkeeper following a blocked shot from experienced strike-partner Lewandowksi.
The on-loan Bayer Leverkusen man took his international tally to an impressive five in 13 appearances and further showcased his burgeoning talent.
That stunning 4-0 victory put the Poles three points clear of a chasing pack comprising Germany, Scotkand and Ireland having played four matches so far in the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign.
Ajax fans will be overjoyed at recent reports that de Godenzonen are set to make Milik’s deal at the Amsterdam ArenA permanent in January for a bargain €2.5million.
On the evidence of his great start in Holland, which has already seen the Polish attacker bag 13 goals in all competitions – plus his outstanding form at international level – this young starlet will soon make Leverkusen officials rue the day they let him go for relative peanuts.
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