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| June 09, 2006 | Friday | Jumadi-ul-Awwal 12, 1427 |
Poland wish for revival against Ecuador
GELSENKIRCHEN, June 8: Poland plan a 1970s revival in Friday's World Cup Group ‘A’ clash with Ecuador as they bid to bring their South American opponents down to earth.
Polish coach Pawel Janas has ripped up his pre-tournament notes and looks set to copy the 4-5-1 system that took Poland to third place the last time Germany hosted the World Cup in 1974.
The pressure is on the Poles to banish the memory of their nightmare four years ago when they crashed out at the group stage following a 2-0 defeat by co-hosts South Korea in their opening game.
“We're going in the right direction,” said Poland defender Michal Zewlakow. “There is a tight spirit crystalising which is very different from 2002. Hopefully the results will be too.”
Ecuador's recent form has been patchy but coach Luis Fernando Suarez believes his side will be far tougher than the team which folded on their World Cup debut four years ago.
They will also be anxious to prove they are as capable of winning big games at sea-level as they are at the lung-bursting high altitude of Quito.
The South Americans were unbeaten in their home qualifying games and the only match they won away was also at high altitude in Bolivia.
Suarez is quietly confident about his side's chances against Poland but remains pragmatic.
“We must begin very cautiously,” he told reporters. “We should seek to take advantage when space opens and catch them on the break.
“Ecuador have grown as a team. We have more experience and now we have to prove that to everyone.”
Poland should start as slight favourites, however, after successfully testing Janas's rejigged system with a 1-0 victory over Croatia last weekend.
Janas's decided to ditch his preferred 4-4-2 shape and emulate former coach Kazimierz Gorski, who employed a five-man midfield behind a lone striker to great effect in 1974.
Both sides will have the advantage of knowing the result of the tournament's opening game between Group A rivals Germany and Costa Rica before they kick off in Gelsenkirchen.
Hosts Germany are strong favourites to win the group but both Poland and Ecuador would view three points as a massive step towards the last 16.
Teams:
POLAND (4-5-1): 1-Artur Boruc; 6-Jacek Bak, 2-Mariusz Jop, 14-Michal Zewlakow, 4-Marcin Baszczynski; 8-Jacek Krzynowek, 16-Arkadiusz Radomski, 10-Miroslaw Szymkowiak, 7-Radoslaw Sobolewski, 15- Euzebiusz Smolarek; 9-Maciej Zurawski.
Coach: Pawel Janas.
ECUADOR (4-4-2): 12-Cristian Mora; 4-Ulises de la Cruz, 3-Ivan Hurtado, 17-Giovanny Espinoza, 18-Neicer Reasco; 8-Edison Mendez, 20-Edwin Tenorio, 14-Segundo Castillo, 16-Luis Antonio Valencia; 11-Agustin Delgado, 21-Carlos Tenorio or 10-Ivan Kaviedes.
Coach: Luis Fernando Suarez.
Referee: Kamikawa Toru (Japan).—Reuters
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