Euro: Poland turn to Lewandowski as lone striker in attack

ST PETERSBURG, June 14 (Reuters): Poland will count largely on the attacking strength of record-breaking

Bayern Munich

striker Robert Lewandowski in their Euro 2020 Group E opener against Slovakia on Monday.


With

Arkadiusz Milik

and

Krzysztof Piatek

out injured, Poland could have turned to a trio of less-tested strikers to put alongside Lewandowski, who has scored 66 goals in 119 national side appearances.

Head coach

Paulo Sousa

will turn to four defenders in his lineup as Poland look for a rare opening match win after losing five of six in major tournaments so far this century.

They are seen as favourites against Slovakia, playing in their second European Championship after a maiden trip in 2016.

Slovak veteran Marek Hamsik, with 126 national team games going into Monday's match, will anchor the squad as it looks to match Poland's attacking strength.

Centre back Milan Skriniar, fresh from winning the Serie A title with Inter Milan, will be tasked with keeping in check scoring threat Lewandowski.

Poland: Wojciech Szczesny; Jan Bednarek, Maciej Rybus, Kamil Glik, Bartosz Bereszynski; Karol Linetty, Grzegorz Krychowiak, Mateusz Klich, Piotr Zielinski, Kamil Jozwiak; Robert Lewandowski (captain)

Slovakia: Martin Dubravka; Peter Pekarik, Lubomir Satka, Milan Skriniar, Tomas Hubocan; Juraj Kucka, Jakub Hromada, Marek Hamsik (captain), Lukas Haraslin, Ondrej Duda; Robert Mak