Tough on Irish as Poles leave it late

Poland 1 N Ireland 0

It was all going according to plan until three minutes from time when Maciej Zurawski made the breakthrough heading home a cross from Miroslaw Szymkowiak.

Birmingham goalkeeper Taylor was left with a feeling of disbelief after a tremendous one-man show.

Considering their record in the group, Northern Ireland were playing with no little confidence in the early stages.

Quinn picked up the first yellow card of the game in the 21st minute following a clash with Jacek Bak.

Taylor came to the rescue in the 26th minute when he somehow managed to parry a header from Zurawski following a cross from Marcin Baszczynski.

Three minutes later Taylor made another fine save when he scooped away Jacek Krzynowek’s shot.

Hughes then booted the ball clear after an inswinging cross from Bartosz Karwan in the 34th minute.

A minute later Quinn was replaced by new Luton striker Warren Feeney.

Healy then went in the book after what looked like an ordinary challenge on Tomasz Rzasa.

Taylor had to be alert in the 56th minute when Bak tried to lob him from the halfway line but the keeper blocked his effort albeit with a bit of difficulty.

Taylor was again called into action after 61 minutes, getting down quickly to smother a shot from Karwan.

The Poles were looking rattled and Murdock became the fourth Northern Ireland player to go in the book when he bundled over Dudek in the 65th minute.

The crowd were becoming frustrated and their anxiety seemed to spread to the pitch.

Sebastian Mila was drafted in after 67 minutes and got quickly into the action when firing in a shot a minute later.

Taylor, not for the first time in the game, stayed focussed and made the block.

He then turned away a shot from Tomasz Frankowski after he had been released by Mila in the 72nd minute.

Chris Baird became the fifth Northern Ireland player to be booked for a challenge on Krzynowek a minute later.

Zurawski secured the points for the home side with three minutes to go. It was a cruel blow for Northern Ireland who had defended so stoutly.

POLAND: Dudek, Klos, Rzasa (Kielbowicz 45), Baszcyznski, Kaluzny (Mila 67), Bak, Karwan (Rasiak 74), Krzynowek, Zurawski, Szymkowiak, Frankowski.

NORTHERN IRELAND: Taylor, Baird, Murdock, Williams (Elliott 88), Hughes, Capaldi, Gillespie, Davis, Whitley, Healy (Smith 81), Quinn (Feeney 35).

Referee: Peter Frojdfeldt (Sweden).