Montenegro and Poland get physical in draw
Reuters - Friday 07 September 2012, 22:33
Montenegro and Poland fought out a tense
2-2 draw in a Group H World Cup qualifying game marked by two
red cards on Friday.
The visitors took an early lead from the penalty spot when
Robert Lewandowski was fouled in the fifth minute. Jakub
Blaszczykowski stepped up to score.
The Poles seemed disturbed after their goalkeeper Przemyslaw
Tyton was struck by a firecracker thrown from the crowd, with
more objects landing nearby.
Nikola Drincic and then, on the stroke of half-time, Mirko
Vucinic, gave the home side the lead, only for Poland to grab an
equaliser after Adrian Mierzejewski headed in Ludovic Obraniak's
free-kick in the 55th minute.
Tempers became frayed as the second half continued.
Referee Kristinn Jakobsson sent off Montenegro's Savo
Pavicevic in the 69th minute after he elbowed Borussia Dortmund
striker Robert Lewandowski.
Two minutes later Poland's Ludovic Obraniak saw red after he
pushed an opponent.
"This looked very similar to a war," said Poland's new coach
Waldemar Fornalik. "Because of this one point is even more
valuable."