Poland’s 2-1 loss to Romania in Bucharest in the fifth round of the Nations League’s second division means the national soccer team has lost all of its away matches in 2026 – four in total. Only one match remains, at home against Sweden in Wrocław on Tuesday.

Under coach Jan Urban, who has led the national team since July 2025, Poland began the year with a 2-1 win over Albania in Warsaw on March 26 in a World Cup playoff semifinal. Five days later, however, they lost 3-2 to Sweden near Stockholm in the final of their playoff “path” and watched the World Cup in North America on television.

Shortly before the tournament, as many teams were sharpening their form for the sport’s most important event in four years, the Poles played two friendlies (against opponents who also missed the 2026 World Cup). On May 31 they lost 2-0 to Ukraine in Wrocław, and on June 3 they drew 2-2 with Nigeria at PGE Narodowy in Warsaw.

The fall has consisted solely of second-division Nations League matches. Two in September brought a 0-0 draw in Warsaw with Bosnia and Herzegovina and another away loss to the Swedes, this time 3-1.

In early October, Urban’s squad beat Romania 6-0 in Warsaw, with Romania playing most of the match a man down, and lost 1-0 to Bosnia in Zenica.

The Polish players definitively lost their chance at a playoff for promotion to the Nations League’s top division on Saturday evening in Bucharest, losing 2-1 to Romania, which had been pointless until then.

They will still host the Swedes on Tuesday, but all four of their away matches in 2026 are behind them. And each ended in defeat.

– Whether they fire me or not isn’t up to me – coach Urban admitted at a news conference after the match in Bucharest. (PAP)

Lewandowski: We Should Have Gotten at Least a Draw

Romania beat Poland 2-1 and earned its first win in this edition of the Nations League. “This was a match we should have been able to at least draw,” said Poland captain Robert Lewandowski.

The 38-year-old striker played in his 171st national team match, in which he has scored 92 goals, but this time he did not find the net. He was replaced by Adrian Benedyczak in the 70th minute.

– That was a planned substitution. There are young players who need to be brought into the national team gradually, and they got a chance – Lewandowski told TVP Sport.

On Oct. 2 in Warsaw, Poland beat Romania 6-0, and Lewandowski scored a hat trick. The match in Bucharest went completely differently.

– In the first half we had the match under control. In the second we stopped winning the long balls. We brought in chaos instead of trying to keep possession. The Romanians scored after our mistakes. Everything came too easily for them. We had chances, but we lacked the finishing touch – said the Chicago Fire player.

Alexandru Cicaldau scored the first goal in the 68th minute. His shot deflected off Jakub Kiwior and fooled goalkeeper Bartłomiej Drągowski. Dennis Man made it 2-0 after a counterattack. Sebastian Szymański then crossed from a free kick, and Marcel Reguła scored his first goal for the national team.

– It can’t be that opponents come out on the counter and have a numerical advantage. We made individual mistakes. We didn’t pay attention to how we were positioned. We were focused on what was up front. You always have to secure the back – Lewandowski stressed.

In the 39th minute, the Poles launched a dangerous counterattack. Nicola Zalewski ran down the left wing and crossed into the penalty area. Lewandowski struck the ball first time, but his volley was not a good one. In the second half, after a shot by the veteran striker, Romanian goalkeeper Otto Hindrich of Legia Warsaw saved his team.

– We lacked luck. This match would have looked different if we had scored to make it 1-0, but that’s soccer. We created chances. We scored a goal. We also had opportunities to make it 2-2. This was a match we should have been able to at least draw – the striker said.

The Poles lost yet another match in which they were tied at halftime.

– Our second halves really aren’t good, except for the home match against Romania. We lack calm in build-up play and in winning long balls. The Romanians pushed us around in this match – Lewandowski noted.

For the first time in 30 years, Poland lost all of its away matches in a calendar year. It lost to Sweden 3-2 and 3-1, to Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-0, and to Romania 2-1. The team failed to qualify for the World Cup and is performing below expectations in Division B of the Nations League.

– Many factors contribute to this. For a few years we waited for young players. Now a few guys have appeared. They need to be brought in patiently. They have potential, but they need time to make the transition from the youth national team to the senior team. It’s important that they get as many chances as possible. The coach has to draw conclusions and assess what isn’t working and what needs to be improved – Lewandowski said.

Coach Jan Urban started several young players: debutant Oskar Kubiak and Wiktor Nowak of Slavia Prague, Marcel Reguła of Zagłębie Lubin and Kacper Potulski of FSV Mainz.

– It’s not an easy situation for them. They need more time to adapt and stabilize their form. They may have ups and downs. We still have one more match against Sweden. We’re playing at home. I hope we show ourselves well in both the first and second half. We want to beat Sweden and win more points in the Nations League – Lewandowski declared.

The Poland-Sweden match in Wrocław will take place on Tuesday. (PAP)

Urban: We Conceded Goals Too Easily

Poland’s national soccer team lost 2-1 away to Romania in the fifth round of the Nations League, even though it beat the same team 6-0 in Warsaw on Oct. 2. “We knew we had the better team,” coach Jan Urban said, adding that in the rematch they gave up goals too easily.

The loss in Bucharest is painful because Romania had lost its previous four matches and was the outsider of Group 4 in Nations League Division B. On Saturday it won its first points.

– We knew we had the better team. The first half was a battle. There were not many scoring chances on either side. We had shots from Wiktor Nowak and Robert Lewandowski. We knew the hosts’ strength of will would be at a very high level, but in that respect we were not inferior – Urban told TVP Sport.

The coach pointed to the poor condition of the pitch at Arena Națională in Bucharest.

– The pitch was heavy. Some players slipped and fell. But both teams had the same conditions – he noted.

Alexandru Cicaldau scored the first goal in the 68th minute. His shot deflected off Jakub Kiwior and fooled the goalkeeper. Dennis Man made it 2-0 after a counterattack. In the 82nd minute, Sebastian Szymański crossed from a free kick, and Marcel Reguła scored his first goal for the national team.

– We conceded goals too easily. There was a deflection. The ball hit Kiwior’s leg and Bartek Drągowski had nothing to say about it. On the second goal, we shouldn’t have allowed a situation in which a player stands unmarked on a set piece. The Romanians used that brilliantly. Still, our reaction after conceding the second goal was good – he said.

The Poles had to manage without injured midfielder Piotr Zieliński of Inter Milan and defender Jan Bednarek of FC Porto, who was suspended because of yellow cards.

Urban started young players: debutant Oskar Kubiak and Wiktor Nowak of Slavia Prague, Marcel Reguła of Zagłębie Lubin and Kacper Potulski of FSV Mainz.

– Oskar had some nice moments as a debutant, though he also made mistakes. He got into the match well, but too often wanted to bring the ball out from the back. He had two turnovers. But he played very boldly going forward. Potulski is taking his first steps and also played a good match. Marcel Reguła left his heart on the pitch. He’s a kid who fights and tries. He got a reward because he scored a goal. That’s an incentive that will build him up – he said.

After five Nations League matches, Poland has 4 points and is in third place in the group behind Sweden and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Poles have lost their chance of promotion to Division A, but they can still be relegated to Division C.

– We have one more match left, against Sweden. We will have a full analysis of which players can be chosen for the best lineup for the European Championship qualifiers. Sometimes you pay a price for testing new names – the coach said.

Urban took over the national team in mid-2025, when Poland was playing in World Cup qualifying. The team finished second in its group behind the Netherlands. In the March playoffs it beat Albania 2-1, but lost 3-2 to Sweden in the deciding match and did not qualify for the World Cup.

Results then worsened. Over all of 2026, the Poles have won just two matches. Their overall record under Urban is six wins, four draws and five losses in 15 matches.

– In World Cup qualifying we had a group of players who were playing for their clubs and were in good form. Later there weren’t as many of them. We also wanted to see how our young players look – the coach explained.

Urban’s position is increasingly being questioned. There is speculation that Tuesday’s match against Sweden in Wrocław could be his last.

– I know what is happening in the media space. I don’t think about it. If our goal was to get promoted to Division A and that goal was not achieved, then the decisions will be what they will be, though that was not the goal. But of course we wanted to fight for second place, which gives a playoff. Unfortunately that didn’t happen – he concluded. (PAP)

Romania Coach: Fans’ Support in Bucharest Helped Us, We Owed It to Them

The loud support of our fans contributed to the win over Poland in the Nations League, Romania coach Gheorghe Hagi said after the 2-1 victory in Bucharest.

– After losing the first match 6-0 in Warsaw, we owed our fans this win over Poland here in Bucharest. We want to keep winning, like today – the home team’s coach added.

In Hagi’s assessment, Romania played much better than Poland on Saturday, both in defense and in attack.

He noted that many very loyal fans of the “Tricolors” came to the stadium on Saturday evening, and that they did not lose heart or become discouraged by Romania’s four earlier losses in this year’s competition in Group B4.

– Today’s match showed that we have great potential, but we still have a lot of work ahead of us, because not everything is as it should be – the coach said at a news conference, noting that he wants players on the team who believe in themselves and want to learn.

He stressed that on Saturday evening he believed to the end that his players were capable of breaking through, playing better and not conceding as many goals as in previous matches. Romania has scored five goals in total and conceded as many as 14.

According to Gheorghe Hagi, in the match against Poland his team showed that it can play well both in defense and on offense.

– I would especially like our defense to look better, because we concede too many goals. I would also like us to build attacks better from midfield – he added, stressing that he believes he and his players will build a “strong Romanian national team.”

He added that in Tuesday’s match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, the “Tricolors” are capable of beating the team in second place in the group.

– The atmosphere in our team has improved after today’s win. I believe that although the Bosnians have a strong team, we are capable of beating them – the Romanian coach said, adding that in the near future he plans to test new, young players in the squad. (PAP)

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