Polish icon senses time right for shock

While Ireland has spent most of the week discussing a former football great, the air of expectancy surrounding their modern-day icon Robert Lewandowski is only ratcheting up in Poland.

World champions Germany visit Narodowy Stadium for tonight’s Euro 2016 Group D qualifier devoured by injuries and with arguably the best striker in their own Bundesliga, Bayern Munich’s Lewandowski, spearheading the opponents’ attack.

The beanpole forward senses blood. Already this week, he’s floated the notion of Germany slackening off since their golden moment in Rio three months ago, an assertion given credence by last month’s laboured win over Scotland and the hammering inflicted by Argentina just days earlier.