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Italian Soccer Serie A Blog supports Italian Serie A players in the World Cup

59% Ball Possession POLAND and 41% Ball Possession SENEGAL

Poland 1 – 2 Senegal

86′ Grzegorz Krychowiak                   37′ Thiago Cionek (OG)
.                                                                     60′ M’Baye Niang

Senegal claiming the victory for the FIFA World Cup First Stage Group H game on Tuesday 19 June, 2018 at the Spartak Stadium in Moscow, Russia. Great moment also for Italian Serie A players. Senegal and Torino forward M’Baye Niang scoring the winner goal for Senegal and becoming the “Man of the Match.”  A historical victory for Senegal because they are the first African team to win in this World Cup. The other African teams losing their opening games are Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria and Tunisia. Next games will be Poland vs Colombia and Japan vs Senegal on 24 June.

Poland got a cold shower in the 37th minute when Poland and Spal defender Thiago Cionek deflected Idrissa Gueye’s shot scoring an own goal.  Senegal taking the lead with a 0-1.

Cionek’s own-goal means that we have had a goal in each of the 16 opening fixtures of the 2018 FIFA #WorldCup ?#POLSEN pic.twitter.com/6Ortr7XtIt

— FIFA World Cup ? (@FIFAWorldCup) June 19, 2018

Senegal forward M’Baye Niang becoming the hero for Senegal when he scored the second goal in the 60th minute. Incredible so, Poland and Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny left the net empty as he attempted to run to clear Niang, yet hello, he forgot to cover the net!!! It was practically an “Open door” welcoming Niang’s goal to the delight of Senegal fans.

GOAL! @MBaye9Niang doubles the advantage for #SEN!#POLSEN 0-2 pic.twitter.com/NtNjp3j2rq

— FIFA World Cup ? (@FIFAWorldCup) June 19, 2018

Poland shortening the distance for the 1-2 in the 86th minute. GrzegKrychowiak defeating Senegal goalkeeper K. N’Diaye with a headed shot in the bottom right corner.

GOAL! #POL

Game on at the Spartak Stadium, as @LaczyNasPilka pull one back with @GrzegKrychowiak! #POLSEN 1-2 pic.twitter.com/xjAjgwpmnt

— FIFA World Cup ? (@FIFAWorldCup) June 19, 2018

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Italian Serie A players called up among the 23-man World Cup squads

Poland National team: 7 Italian Serie A players Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, Sampdoria defender Bartosz Bereszynski, Spal defender Thiago Cionek, Sampdoria midfielder Karol Linetty, Napoli midfielder Piotr Zielinski, Sampdoria forward Dawid Kownacki, and Napoli forward Arkadiusz Milik.

Senegal National team: 3 Italian serie A players Spal goalkeeper Alfred Gomis, Napoli defender Kalidou Kouibaly, Torino forward Mbaye Niang.
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Here is POLAND official starting lineup – formation by Head Coach Nawalka:

POLAND (4-4-2): Szczęsny; Piszczek, Cionek, Pazdan, Rybus; Błaszczykowski, Krychowiak, Zieliński, Grosicki; Milik, Lewandowski.

Here is SENEGOAL official starting lineup – formation by Head Coach Cissé:

SENEGAL (4-2-4): K. N’Diaye; Wagué, Koulibaly, Sané, Sabaly; Sarr, A. N’Diaye, Gueye; Niang, Diouf, Mané, Sarr.
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After the first round, FIFA World Cup First Stage Group H Standing states:

Japan in the 1st position with 3 points and a positive goal difference of +1, Senegal in the 2nd position with 3 points and a positive goal difference of +1, Poland in the 3rd position with 0 points and a negative goal difference of -1, and Colombia in the 4th position with 0 points and a negative goal difference of -1.

And after today’s results, Group H looks like this…

1) #JPN
2) #SEN
3) #POL
4) #COL #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/GRHNBY8ga4

— FIFA World Cup ? (@FIFAWorldCup) June 19, 2018

Next up: #POLSEN! #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/OM0d1DTMHm

— FIFA World Cup ? (@FIFAWorldCup) June 19, 2018

Next up: #POLSEN! #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/OM0d1DTMHm

— FIFA World Cup ? (@FIFAWorldCup) June 19, 2018

#POL and @lewy_official are ready to make their mark on the #WorldCup

Are you backing @LaczyNasPilka? pic.twitter.com/IdrsUzIKJc

— FIFA World Cup ? (@FIFAWorldCup) June 19, 2018

#SEN #SEN #SEN #SEN

Will we see a first African win of the 2018 FIFA #WorldCup today? #POLSEN pic.twitter.com/CfZgpv6az0

— FIFA World Cup ? (@FIFAWorldCup) June 19, 2018

INTERVIEW | #POLSEN

Congrats, @MBaye9Niang! Here is his @Budweiser #ManoftheMatch interview pic.twitter.com/ifrDXnjLuQ

— FIFA World Cup ? (@FIFAWorldCup) June 19, 2018

Key stats:

? The first time #POL have conceded to a @CAF_Online nation at the World Cup
? First win for an African team at the #WorldCup since Algeria’s victory over #KOR in 2014 group stage. #POLSEN pic.twitter.com/t8CzBer3MK

— FIFA World Cup ? (@FIFAWorldCup) June 19, 2018

#SEN WIN!@FootballSenegal record Africa’s first victory of the 2018 FIFA #WorldCup with a 2-1 victory over #POL! #POLSEN pic.twitter.com/CaY90Icim1

— FIFA World Cup ? (@FIFAWorldCup) June 19, 2018

2018 FIFA World Cup
First stage – Group H

Poland 1 – 2 Senegal
Tuesday 19 June 2018
Spartak Stadium
Moscow, Russia

18:00

Referee: SHUKRALLA Nawaf (BHR)
Assistant Referee 1: TULEFAT Yaser (BHR)
Assistant Referee 2: AL MARRI Taleb (QAT)
Fourth official: AL JASSIM Abdulrahman (QAT)
Video Assistant Referee: DIAS Artur (POR)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1: MAIDANA Hernan (ARG)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2: LOPES MARTINS Tiago Bruno (POR)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 3: SAMPAIO Wilton (BRA)

Goals: 37′ Thiago Cionek (OG), 60′ M’Baye Niang (S), 86′ Grzegorz Krychowiak (P)

Official lineups – formations:

POLAND (4-4-2): Szczęsny; Piszczek, Cionek, Pazdan, Rybus; Błaszczykowski, Krychowiak, Zieliński, Grosicki; Milik, Lewandowski.

Subs: Fabiański, Białkowski, Jędrzejczyk, Bednarek, Gódalski, Linetty, Teodorczyk, Glik, Peszko, Beresziński, Kurzawa, Kownacki.

Coach: Nawałka.

SENEGAL (4-2-4): K. N’Diaye; Wagué, Koulibaly, Sané, Sabaly; Sarr, A. N’Diaye, Gueye; Niang, Diouf, Mané, Sarr.

Subs: Diallo, Gomis, Mbengue, Mbodji, Sow, Kouyaté, N’Doye, Konaté, Sakho, P.A. N’Diaye, Keita, Gassama.

Coach: Cissé.

Referee: Shukralla (Bahrein)